A brand new horror film has arrived in theaters courtesy of twentieth Century Fox. The Boogeyman relies on Stephen King’s 1973 quick story of the identical identify. It’s directed by Rob Savage, who beforehand directed the 2020 quarantine horror movie Host. It’s co-written by Scott Beck, Bryan Woods (A Quiet Place, 65), and Mark Heyman (Black Swan). With a staff like this, you might be in good palms. The Boogeyman is a well-crafted horror movie with some glorious performances and rigidity that can maintain you holding your breath.
The Boogeyman was initially going to be launched on streaming, however constructive take a look at screenings allowed the movie to be put in theaters. One other latest horror movie with an identical path to cinemas was Smile, which got here out in 2022 and earned $217.4 million towards a $17 million price range. It appears like an identical destiny stands out as the case for The Boogeyman, which follows highschool scholar Sadie (Sophie Thatcher) and her youthful sister Sawyer (Vivien Lyra Blair). Whereas grieving the dying of their mom, their father Will (Chris Messina) is unable to offer them solace.
A person named Lester (David Dastmalachian) visits Will at his therapist job and asks for assist. He unknowingly brings in a terrifying entity referred to as The Boogeyman. That is your traditional horror film setup with a demon haunting a household. It could be by-product and formulaic at instances, however in relation to good horror, the course is a vital a part of making it work. Savage is a talented director, having beforehand operated in display horror, and he now takes his abilities to a extra conventional flick. He builds numerous rigidity with the acquainted “bump within the night time” scene template and utilizing sure concepts to carry the horror to life.
The movie makes use of a spherical lamp to create a couple of enjoyable scenes of horror. There may be one other scene, which was marketed within the trailer, that makes use of a purple strobe gentle which feels tailored for a superb scare. It’s the kind of film that makes you need to sleep together with your closet door shut. It’s a film that performs with the notorious trope of kids fearing the monster underneath their mattress or of their closet. It does many issues that you simply’ve seen earlier than, so within the palms of a lesser director, this film might have been disposable. Nonetheless, Savage’s course helps carry The Boogeyman to life, realizing the way to catch you off-guard.
Thatcher is superb within the movie. Audiences have been launched to her from her appearances in Yellowjackets and The E book of Boba Fett, and she or he could also be an up-and-coming star. She brings numerous unhappiness to the character of Sadie who spends the movie grieving the lack of her mom. Her isolation is evident as she navigates her friendships in highschool and some others who aren’t as good to her. Her character is well-realized and sympathetic as she spends the movie holding on to what’s left of her mom, unable to maneuver on.
Chris Messina can also be improbable. He offers a restrained but unhappy efficiency as a therapist whose job is to assist folks, however, underneath his personal grief, can not assist himself or his daughters. It’s a major departure from his different function earlier this 12 months in Air, and people unfamiliar with the actor might not be capable of inform they’re the identical individual. Moreover, Vivien Lyra Blair will get to shine once more on this movie. After her breakout function as a younger Princess Leia within the Star Wars collection Obi-Wan Kenobi, she showcases her expertise on this movie with numerous humor and allure whereas additionally being realistically scared through the movie’s extra intense scenes.
Like all nice horror films, The Boogeyman options an unsettling thriller on the forefront. The problem is that it doesn’t have a really exact algorithm for its antagonist, nor does it have that a lot enjoyable with the concept. There are occasions when the movie seems like a by-the-numbers creature function, doing an excellent job of scaring you, however not a fantastic one. It’s received all of the flickering lights and bounce scares you’d count on from a movie with this premise, but it surely is aware of the way to shock you and it ought to fulfill most followers of the horror style.
Whereas there could also be some who look down on PG-13 horror — this isn’t one of many scarier films to come back out in recent times — The Boogeyman has lots to supply. It’s one-part Lights Out, one-part The Babadook, and it scares you whereas having moments of levity that don’t break the strain. It wraps up most of its story threads properly and pays tribute to the King story it’s based mostly on with out sticking too carefully to it. For those who’ve been in search of a horror repair for summer time 2023, this one will not be a foul alternative.
SCORE: 7/10
As ComingSoon’s evaluation coverage explains, a rating of seven equates to “Good.” A profitable piece of leisure that’s value trying out, however it could not enchantment to everybody.
Disclosure: ComingSoon attended a press screening for our The Boogeyman evaluation.
