Blaze is not a movie for everyone. And I'm still not sure if it was for me. The movie is about trauma and how people cope with it. But unlike what you would come to expect from a movie about such heavy topics, it puts a uniquely interesting spin on it with its gorgeous visual language and its dream-like vignettes.

The movie starts strong. The first act of the movie; where we are introduced to the conflict is excellently done. Actors Julia Savage and Simon Baker put up brilliant performances to communicate the movie's emotions the way the filmmaker would have wanted for it to be. There's so much subtelty to it that it had me excited for what's to come.

Unfortunately its novelty fades and the movie seemed to have exhausted itself the more it went on, in my opinion. It just never capitalized on it's excellent start and becomes a little too indulgent and a little too aimless. And by then end, you're left with the feeling that Blaze had the potential to be so much more.

All that aside, I still appreciate this movie for what it tries to do. It's definitely a unique and colorful cinematic experience and one that could inspire new avenues of storytelling.

*This review contains some spoilers*

Blaze is a story about many things; namely - trauma, mental health, childhood, single parenthood, courage and triumph. It's not an easy film to watch due to the bold subject matter it takes on, but the intent behind making this film seems to be positive. I really loved the intro music! I hope the soundtrack of this movie is released in the near future!

The protagonist - Blaze (Julia Savage) is introduced to us as an inquisitive child who seems to have a rich inner world. She is shown taking a known shortcut home from an ice-cream shop where she comes face-to-face with an unexpected situation. I loved the little symbolisms here - a puppy on the way that she stops to greet (symbolising innocence and normalcy) and wilted flowers that she passes by (could be symbolism for the danger that lies ahead). I feel this is a great teachable moment for parents to their kids on the importance of taking the safe way home even if it's a longer route.

The trauma that Blaze witnesses, leaves her traumatized. Julia Savage is impressive here as she is able to portray genuine terror on her face and is able to make us believe what her character is going through emotionally. I feel the makers of the film could introduce a warning before the movie begins as the trauma is quite difficult to watch. Huge props to Yael Stone for her portrayal of Hannah.

We meet Zephyr (the dragon) once Blaze manages to return home after the traumatic experience. My first reaction to when I saw the dragon was - it's so cute! The imaginary dragon is her friend so it's quite natural that it was made to look like a cute glittery friend rather than a monstrous thing!

The way we are introduced to Blaze's dad Luke (Simon Baker) left me with a warm feeling in my heart. The way he comes into her room, gently sits by her side whilst she's asleep, the way he gently lifts the comforter from which Blaze is sleeping under and finally the way in which he gently caresses his daughter's forehead, all this show the empathetic side of him and what a lovely, caring dad he is.

Julia's depiction of being in a catatonic state is highly impressive. Equally impressive is Luke's (Simon Baker) reaction when he realises that something is terribly wrong with his daughter.

The film further sheds a light on how broken the court system is. The court appointed psychiatrist comes across as strictly business-like whose main job is to get Blaze ready for the court hearing without really delving deep into the psychological state that Blaze is in.

It's here that we are introduced to the first psychedelic experience in the film. I'm not sure what it really means but after having watched the film a few times by now perhaps Blaze is trying to 'ground' herself while the psychiatrist talking in the background becomes like a white noise for her. (This is my interpretation and it could be wrong!)

The statement - "I didn't realize this was purely procedural support." hits you in the face depicting how cold the court system is.

Blaze's dragon helps her cope with the trauma. My first reaction to when I saw the dragon was - it's so cute! The imaginary dragon is her friend so it's quite natural that it was made to look like a cute glittery friend rather than a monstrous thing! The little figurines and especially the doll puppet are very cute and it made me smile whenever they popped up on the screen.

The court scene where Blaze has to testify about what happened is so well performed by both Julia and Simon. Simon as the father who has to bear witness to his daughter being asked uncomfortable questions in the court & having to be in the same room as the perpetrator is heart-wrenching to watch.

Interestingly, there are some scenes in this film that are nearly identical with some scenes that appear in Simon Baker's movie - Not Forgotten! I was amused to find how similar those scenes were. I won't be naming all of them here except for one (swipe to see pic no). If you've watched 'Not Forgotten' multiple times like I have, there's no way you'll miss the similarities between the scenes at different points during the film!

The film does a great job at showing the importance of having a supportive parent to whom a child can talk to without any apprehensions. It also serves as a reminder for parents to talk to them about personal safety; both physically as well as online. The film also depicts very subtly that learning self-defence is a very useful tool as much as it can be a constructive tool to release frustration and anger. Dance is a recurring tool used by the director to convey a release of pent-up emotions. It's a good thing, however some parts of those dance sequences didn't sit well with me.

That being said, there were plenty of memorable scenes and dialogues, all of which I won't mention here as they'd take away the charm of the film. I found the first half of the movie more well-defined and engaging than the second half. The puppetry, vfx and the make-up were all amazingly good! The transition between certain scenes was a bit abrupt at times but the strong performances by each and every cast member help deliver the story to its fullest.

Overall it's a good film with great potential. Highly recommended viewing for parents of teens and pre-teens and also for teens as well as young adults as there are wonderful life lessons in there!