Superheroes? Villains? Gods? Will you let out the person you can’t see? Its who you really are.

Honestly, this film belongs on the list of the most interesting and weirdest movies I’ve ever seen.

To start, The Scribbler is based on a comic book written by Dan Schaffer titled The Scribbler.

The film kicks off in a way that feels like a mid-story introduction—you won’t fully grasp what’s happening until later. Instead of a straightforward beginning, it throws you into the chaos with no explanation of what’s going on, why it’s happening, or what the hell any of it means.

I believe this storytelling choice is hinted at early in the film during a conversation between Suki (Katie Cassidy) and two police officers:

Female Officer: Why don’t you tell me what happened, from the beginning?
Suki: That’s not always the best way to tell a story.

This single line subtly justifies why the film starts the way it does—scattered, fragmented, and nonlinear.

Adding to the confusion, we’re introduced to the machine before we even know what it is.

The Machine

Let’s break this down.

The machine is a complex device, but its intended purpose is never fully explained. Instead, we’re given scattered pieces of information—brief psychiatric discussions debating its use, cryptic dialogue, and eventually, a deeper (but still vague) explanation later in the film.

The machine is essentially an advanced form of electroshock therapy. It “deletes” or “erases” personalities by burning them out of the mind. In reality, electroshock therapy isn’t illegal but is rarely used unless a patient is experiencing severe internal seizures. In the film, it sends low-voltage electrical pulses through the brain’s neurons, “cleansing” the mind of multiple identities.

Suki, for example, has 15 personalities, so she requires multiple uses of the machine.

Now, here’s where things go completely off the rails.

When Suki uses the machine, The Scribbler—one of her personalities—refuses to be erased. Instead, it modifies the machine, turning it into something far more dangerous.

Rather than just erasing personalities, the machine brings them to life.

Essentially, it takes who you really are—the side of yourself you suppress for societal acceptance—and manifests it.

Think about it—when was the last time you truly felt like yourself? Have you ever acted differently because you felt different? What even is “normal”? According to this film, we’re all just empty shells wearing masks to fit in.

The machine removes the mask and forces your true self to the surface. And apparently, that true self comes with superpowers.

Each character’s newfound abilities reflect their hidden selves.

• Hogan (Garret Dillahunt): An innocent, well-meaning guy suddenly becomes a godlike figure with the power to see truth, answers, and questions beyond human understanding.
• Alice/Veronica/Patient 99 (Michelle Trachtenberg): A deeply jealous and vengeful woman transforms into a dark, menacing presence with super strength and speed. In life, she killed every woman her boyfriend slept with—now, she’s transferring that rage into Hogan, killing everyone he’s been with.
• Suki (Katie Cassidy): This one’s hard to pin down. She becomes a doll-like figure with the ability to manipulate words, writing, and lines (which might actually be her veins—unclear). She also gains insane strength, flight, and, apparently, Spider-Man-like wall-climbing abilities.

All these powers stem from personality traits, though the exact connections remain mysterious.

The Scribbler takes you on a wild trip into the mind of the unstable (no offense intended, but let’s be real—no one in this film fits society’s definition of “normal”).

Do we actually get to know Suki? Not really. We learn that she spent her 20s-30s in a psychiatric hospital undergoing psychological experiments (not the creepy kind, just psychiatric treatments). Somehow, she’s released—though realistically, someone in her condition probably wouldn’t be.

Under the supervision of Dr. Sinclair (Billy Campbell), she’s given a portable memory-erasing machine. She then moves into Juniper Tower, which—if the name isn’t obvious—has a dark history involving a high number of suicides. The film wastes no time making that clear.

Bringing The Scribbler from comic book to film must have been a massive challenge, but the filmmakers did a fantastic job translating its bizarre, mind-bending elements to the screen. I can only imagine how surreal the comic version must be.

If you enjoy insanely weird, visually striking, and mind-twisting films, The Scribbler is definitely worth watching. It’s confusing, it’s chaotic, and it’s absolutely fascinating.

Would I recommend it?
Only if you’re ready for a seriously strange ride.