Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
The scariest thing in the world, when I was a kid, was being the last one to go to bed and having to turn off all the lights before I went upstairs. In my mind, as soon as those lights went off, the Boogeyman could come out of hiding and it was a race to get up the stairs to safety before he could get me.
I didn't know what or who the Boogeyman was, I just knew he was there.
The legend of the Bogeyman reaches far and wide. The stories of the Boogeyman living in closets or under your bed have scared kids for decades. Hollywood has tried — and failed — a few times, in the past two decades, to capture this legend. Have they finally made a good enough one to scare a new generation?
The movie revolves around high school student Sadie Harper and her younger sister Sawyer, reeling from their mother's recent death and not getting much support from their father, Will, who is a therapist dealing with his own pain. When a desperate patient unexpectedly shows up at their home seeking help, he leaves behind a terrifying supernatural entity that preys on families and feeds on the suffering of its victims.
I will admit, as a horror fan, I was pretty skeptical about "The Bogeyman" and didn't really have any expectations going in. I knew it was written by the team that wrote the first "A Quiet Place," and it was loosely based on a short story from horror genius Stephen King. Even with those credentials, it just seemed like a silly idea.
Overall, it was better than I thought it would be, but it could've been better and more memorable.
Here's the good and the bad of "The Boogeyman."
The few bright spots
Jump scares
Who doesn't love a good jump scare, right? There were a few moments during the movie that got me pretty good. Director Rob Savage does an excellent job of timing some of his jump scares just right, something I feel is hard to do. Some worked better than others but, like I said, it still got me a few times.
Starts off on the right foot
The film's first 25 to 30 minutes does a great job of drawing you in and setting up that creepy, uneasy feeling. The story didn't drag and the film set up the characters well. What I liked about the first part of the movie was that it allowed the audience's imagination to run wild as to what was behind the doors or under the bed.
Some solid performances
Overall the cast did a pretty solid job with the material it was given. Vivien Lyra Blair, who played Princess Leia in the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" series, impressed me. Anyone who ever believed there might be a monster in their closet will really relate to her character. As always, Chris Messina, from "Air," also performs well and continues to impress me with his acting abilities.
Where Boogey missed the mark
He wasn't that scary
It ruined the film for me once the Boogeyman was revealed. I won't give too much away but, as I said before, having our minds run wild about what we think is in the closet was more creepy.
Predictable
That is the thing about horror, nowadays: Developing original ideas is hard. I feel like this was the same turn-of-the-mill story we have seen in tons of other horror films, like "The Amityville Horror" or "Lights Out," where you almost go on autopilot and lose interest in the story. It was disappointing because it started off so strong, but then felt like it coasted to the end.
Overall
Most people would not be disappointed if they went to see this movie, especially if you love some good jump scares. It is also PG-13, and it seems like most horror films outside of "M3gan," lately, have been R-rated, so this might be a rare chance for teenagers to flock to the theater and get their scare on. I would recommend waiting to stream it at home — until after you check under your bed and in the closets.
"The Boogeyman" is rated PG-13 for terror, violent content, teen drug use and some strong language.
