If you told me you weren’t afraid of the dark when you were young, you’d likely be lying. At some point we’ve all let our imaginations create horrifying possibilities for what may be lurking in the shadows. The Boogeyman brings those fears to life with a movie that’s far less frightening than anything you dreamt up as a kid.
The movie follows a high school student named Sadie and her younger sister Sawyer, after the recent death of their mother. Their father is withdrawn and somewhat distant as he grieves in his own way. When a dark entity finds its way into their home, Sadie takes matters into her own hands, to rid the house of this terrifying presence.
Director Rob Savage makes excellent use of the contrast between light and dark, keeping the entity shrouded in shadow for the majority of the film. He plays with minimalist lighting sources quite cleverly, whether it’s a spherical moon globe or the fluorescent glow of a fridge light. Not sure why this family doesn’t believe in overhead lighting, but it’s effective. The atmospheric eeriness Savage creates is perfect, but a creepy vibe isn’t enough to prop up the film’s shortcomings.
The “rules” for the entity are inconsistent and change from scene to scene. Is it a real monster or a figment of the kids’ imaginations? Is there just one, or are there multiples? What does it want? Where did it come from? I found myself asking these questions and they were either only partially answered, or not explained at all. I don’t need a full backstory with lore, but something to go on would’ve helped
Apart from a few jump scares, the movie isn’t really all that frightening. Creepy? Sure. Atmospheric? Yeah. It just failed to get my heart racing like a horror movie should. It’s also overflowing with questionable horror character logic. Even with solid performances across the board, the characters’ dumb decisions are incredibly frustrating.
The Boogeyman is much less terrifying than the monsters you imagined as a kid, but its eerie atmosphere may still send a chill or two down your spine. However, if you’re looking for a movie that’ll make you wanna sleep with the lights on, this isn’t it.
2.5/5
Review by: Benjamin Garrett
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