Creeping its way into UK and US cinemas today is the supernatural horror movie, The Boogeyman. The film – directed by Rob Savage – stars Sophie Thatcher, Chris Messina, Vivien Lyra Blair, and David Dastmalchian and tells the tale of a terrifying entity that preys on a grieving family.
In the movie, Sadie and Sawyer Harper are dealing with a great deal of pain, following the sudden death of their mother. Their father, Will, is doing his best to keep everything together, and using his skills as a therapist to help his daughters, but the grief is new and very raw.
One day, while Sadie and Sawyer are at school, Will is visited by a stranger called Lester Billings, who breaks into the family house and approaches Will in his office. Lester says he believes Will is the only one who can help him, as he too has suffered a recent tragedy, and knows that Will will be able to empathise with his situation.
As Lester recounts his story, he tells Will how he has lost all three of his children very recently to what he believes is a creature-like entity that has invaded his home. This entity stalked his family, killed his children, and is still terrorising him now.
After Will listens to what Lester has to say, he makes an excuse so he can leave the room and call the police. But while Will is away, Lester takes himself to another room, where he appears to commit suicide.
But Lester didn’t kill himself; his death was caused by the entity. And now that it doesn’t have Lester to prey on, it turns its attention to the Harper family and more specifically the youngest member, Sawyer.
Based on the short story of the same name by Stephen King, The Boogeyman is a slow-burning, atmospheric psychological horror movie, which deals with supernatural elements and the subject of grief. One side of the film is about a mysterious entity, which preys upon its victims, while the other is about a young family coming to terms with the loss of a loved one.
While both aspects of the story feel like a perfect fit, the emotional side of the film is where The Boogeyman is strongest. This is where all of the film’s best material lies, and where audiences will get the most out of the movie.
Conversations about loss, and the toll it takes on a family are highlights of this picture. And while it might seem strange to say this, given it is an uncomfortable and upsetting subject matter, The Boogeyman is hitting all the right beats when it is placing its energy in this direction.
At the centre of this film is a tale about people experiencing difficult times and difficult emotions, and this is something which The Boogeyman never loses sight of. When it hits the spot, it hits it well, and it does so because director Rob Savage understands the emotional core of this story is so important for the film.
Where the film, is less successful is in the supernatural elements of the picture. While The Boogeyman contains a couple of creepy moments which send a shiver down the spine, more often than not it relies too much on jump scares to convey its horror.
None of this is particularly bad, but it does become quite clear early on that the film is treading familiar ground. It also becomes quite clear this is a slow-moving picture, that might test the patience of some audiences who want a little more suspense or action.
There are moments here and there which really grab your attention, but unfortunately, there is also an overriding feeling the movie is taking too long to get going. A few edits early on might have quickened the pace a touch, or perhaps a bit more of a deep dive on the set-pieces would make a difference.
While The Boogeyman takes the right course of action, by not showing too much of the creature, I’d argue it pulls back a little too much, too often. Sure, I don’t want to see the entity too much, or too soon, but I also need a bit more on-screen action to create suspense.
Despite my criticisms, The Boogeyman is a decent enough watch, and it’s certainly not a dud. It isn’t the next big horror movie that everyone will be rushing out to see, but more of it works than doesn’t and this makes all the difference.
The cast are great, the direction isn’t bad, and the story is all there. It might not come together as sharply as planned, but horror fans will find enough to like.
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