The Boogeyman movie review - Aussieboyreviews

WILL THE BOOGEYMAN LEAVE KIDS FEARFUL OF THE CLOSET?

Let’s just say that The Boogeyman won’t do good to children afraid of what lurks in the closest or hides under their bed. This clichéd but well-designed horror movie will appeal to teens getting into the genre.

Storyline

A teenage girl and her younger sister, both grieving along with their therapist father over the tragic death of their mother, find themselves dealing with a supernatural entity that preys on families left behind by a desperate patient who unexpectedly shows up at their house seeking help.

Movie Images

Movie details

Director: Rob Savage
Cast: Sophie Thatcher, Chris Messina, Vivien Lyra Blair, David Dastmalchian, LisaGay Hamilton
Writer: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods, Mark Heyman
Release Date (Australia): 1 June 2023
Runtime: 98 minutes/1h 38m
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Language: English

CONTENT GUIDE (warning: May contain spoilers)

Themes (MA15+)

The film contains horror themes mainly concerned with a family being terrorised by a menacing supernatural creature. The film also contains supernatural creature attacks, references to suicide and thematic content relating to grief.

Violence (M)

The film contains scenes in which characters are attacked by a menacing supernatural creature, accompanied by depictions of blood and injury detail, as well as depictions of weapons being used to kill the monster.

Coarse Language (M)

The film contains use of the words “bitch”, “s**t”, “damn” and a single use of “f**k”.

Drug Use (M)

The film contains a scene in which teenagers are depicted sharing a marijuana joint.

mpaa rating

PG-13 (for terror, violent content, teen drug use and some strong language)

Aussie boy's thoughts

This clichéd but well-designed boogeyman horror movie won’t do good to young children afraid of what’s in their closet or hiding under their bed, but true horror fans have seen this all before. However, what’s still to enjoy is located in every scene; solid performances, an eerie sense of dread and a creepy atmosphere captured by the impressive direction.

Whether or not you associate it with a short story written by Stephen King, the film’s plot is mainly concerned with a grieving family who begin to be terrorised by a terrifying supernatural creature who the title suggests is the ‘boogeyman’. You’ve probably heard about the elements in the movie deserving of audience’s support; the performances from the entire cast are at their highest, with convincing scenes of terror, grief and emotion. Rob Savage’s work behind the camera also makes this film a visually appealing cinema experience. New horror fans will appreciate the dark atmosphere and the fascinating monster CGI work we see in the intense scenes.

Unfortunately, The Boogeyman suffers from horror movie clichés and some poor effort in other areas. It’s hard to take points away as it doesn’t really decrease the enjoyment people will have with this movie, but a good cast should be paired with a good screenplay, taking on a more innovative approach to this subject matter. The jump-scares are completely predictable, the scary scenes are often lacking in originality and of course, what would a horror movie be without the characters making stupid decisions? Who else could rant about these horror movie issues all day? Yet, the film is still very entertaining, intense, the grieving family aspect is interesting, and this is a movie worth the popcorn. Just some more effort and imagination in screenplay would make The Boogeyman noticeably improved.

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