Directed by Josh Brandon, produced by Peter Foldy, Ron Wiskup, BL Fleischer, Josh Brandon, and Scott J. Jones, and written by Angela Bourassa and Adam Pachter, the movie, Black Bags, starred Laura Vandervoort, Olesya Rulin, Drew Pollock, Ryan Francis, Bruce Davis, Jaclyn Friedlander, Pamela Bell, and Emerson Shouse.
Black Bags Movie Review
This movie was creepy to watch from the first time the pregnant housewife met the dark-haired mysterious woman, dressed in black, including black gloves, on the Greyhound bus. The dark-haired woman, Sara, exuded such chilling vibes in her performance that she literally gave me the creeps. Sara appeared to have a dark past or she was hiding something. But she also seemed too inquisitive when she was chatting with the pregnant woman, Tess. I noticed information being revealed during their chat inside the bus. But I also got dark vibes from Sara because of her hard and piercing blue eyes, black hair, pale skin and black outfit ensemble, as she stared at Tess with intense hatred and jealousy. Tess exuded a very bubbly, friendly, and small-town American-girl vibes, appearing to be just casually chatting with a stranger on the bus. But it was also revealed that she had to travel to her doctor by bus to receive medication for her pregnancy issues, and she was returning back home to wait for her husband, Jack, who travels a lot for his business.
The story slowly but consistently moves through various chilling scenes, revealing more clues and information at each scene. But the movie had good pacing because I was very entranced during every minute of the movie, wondering what will happen next. After the bus stopped, Tess noticed that Sara had fallen asleep on the bus. After giving up on trying to wake Sara, the two women appeared to have gone their separate ways. Tess took her black carrier and went home, and everything seemed normal.
As she entered her master bedroom to unload her carrier, I immediately noticed drops of blood dripping from the black carrier. But Tess didn’t notice the blood dripping right away. She opened the carrier and noticed bags of bloody body parts. She quickly shuts the carrier in horror. While watching the movie, I immediate got other dark ideas, popping into my head. I thought Sara might be a Satanist, serial killer, or a cannibalistic psychopath. I was suddenly alarmed for Tess, when Sara shows up at her front door, telling Tess that they had each other’s carrier because they both have the same exact black carrier. Was this intentional or coincidence? Tess invites Sara inside her home, insisting that Sara relaxes and enjoys some refreshments, while she goes upstairs to fetch Sara’s creepy carrier.
Sara lingers on because she still has Tess’ pills that Tess needs as well as she knows that Tess had opened her carrier, as well. She tells Tess about her life and her sick eleven-year-old daughter. She continues to give me the creeps because she looks like a satanic serial killer. Tess starts feeling negative vibes from Sara, and she wants to call 911 on her iPhone, but Tess had accidentally left her iPhone on the porch, and Sara found it first for blackmail purposes. When Sara stomps on it and throws it into the bushes, I felt Sara will terrorize Tess next. But during their chat on the porch, more information is revealed about Sara and her past.
Sara forces Tess to go with her to the chemical plant to dump the bloody body parts. Tess refuses, but Sara blackmails Tess by telling her that her fingerprints are all over the black carrier, and she could be charged for murder. As Tess nervously walks to the chemical plant with Sara, she tries to get out of the situation. They arrive at the abandoned chemical plant, and Sara makes Tess take out the bags of bloody body parts and dump them into a canister of boiling acid, including the black carrier. After they return to the house so that Tess can shower, Sara treats Tess with a slice of pie and coffee at a local diner, although Sara was considerate enough to order decaf for Tess. Sara gives Tess her bottle of pills, but Tess still feels uneasy about the whole situation. More and more information continues to be revealed every time they chat together, and I am starting to feel uneasy watching this dark mystery thriller movie.
But suddenly I start to get vibes that Sara had some kind of relation with Tess’ father, and this bus meeting wasn’t coincidence. After Sara leaves, Tess suddenly learns that her father is missing, but her mother tells her that he does that a lot and it isn’t a big deal. He goes off somewhere for a while, and he later returns home. I start noticing similarities between Sara’s story about the father of her daughter and Tess’ feelings for her father. Both Sara’s male lover and Tess’ father were assholes. I start to realize it could be the same man, and Sara had intentionally sought out Tess to dump the bloody body parts on his daughter.
When her husband returns home, Tess decides to move on, get a divorce, and raise her unborn baby on her own, even though her husband, Jack, seemed nice. She wasn’t happily married, living in a small boring town and being a housewife. Jack seemed confused about everything, probably because he wasn’t aware of Tess’ recent dark adventure.
Years later, Tess and Sara have an encounter at a park playground. Sara’s daughter looks like a teenager, and Tess’ son is a little boy. Tess seemed indifferent and cold, as she chats with Sara, who now has blonde hair, soft facial features and warm personality, before giving her half of the money from her father’s will because Sara’s daughter is Tess’ half-sister. Sara gets emotional and starts to cry. Tess also gives Sara a box with two slices of pie, reminding her of that chilling day. Sara seemed to have changed, leaving her past behind her to focus on her daughter, who now looks healthy. But Tess wanted nothing to do with Sara because of the revelations about her father, Sara, and that dark, chilling day.
This movie was actually a good drama with dark undertones and past secrets, underlying the situation behind the mysterious woman, their coincidental meeting, and their hidden relation.
Black Bags Trailer (film 2023)
Where to Watch Black Bags?
The movie Black Bags (2023) is currently available to watch on Prime Video. You may also like Girl Most Likely To (1973 and Empuraan Review: A Colossus Forged in Shadow & Spectacle.
I found the full movie on YouTube, which can be watched for free, along with many other movies.
The Review
Black Bags Movie Review
Black Bags is a slow-burning psychological thriller that leans heavily on atmosphere, tension, and unsettling character dynamics rather than outright shock value. From its eerie opening on a Greyhound bus to its morally complex final act, the film steadily unravels a disturbing connection between two women bound by secrets, trauma, and an unexpected familial link. Laura Vandervoort’s chilling portrayal of Sara anchors the film, creating a constant sense of dread, while the narrative’s careful pacing keeps viewers uneasy and engaged. Ultimately, Black Bags reveals itself less as a conventional thriller and more as a dark drama about consequence, guilt, and inherited pain.
PROS
- Strong Performances: Laura Vandervoort delivers a haunting, controlled performance that sustains tension throughout the film.
- Effective Atmosphere: The film excels at creating unease through visuals, pacing, and subtle revelations rather than cheap scares.
- Layered Storytelling: The gradual unveiling of past secrets and relationships adds emotional depth and narrative intrigue.
CONS
- Slow Pace for Some Viewers: The methodical buildup may feel drawn out for audiences expecting fast-paced thrills.
- Limited Action: Those looking for explicit horror or high-intensity sequences may find the tension too restrained.
- Ambiguous Elements: Certain plot details and character motivations remain open-ended, which may frustrate viewers seeking clear resolutions.
Review Breakdown
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Black Bags is a chilling, character-driven thriller that relies on mood and mystery rather than shock. Strong performances and a slow, unsettling reveal make it a rewarding watch for viewers who enjoy layered storytelling.
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More drama than horror, Black Bags explores guilt, secrecy, and twisted family ties with eerie restraint. While its pacing may test some viewers’ patience, the film’s atmosphere and performances leave a lasting impression.
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Haunting and quietly disturbing, Black Bags stands out as an effective indie thriller with emotional weight. Its tension-driven narrative and unsettling character dynamics elevate it beyond a typical mystery film.
