Movie review of The Boogeyman, streaming now on Hulu
I’ve come to think of Halloween as a season, rather than just a single day, and it’s the perfect time to check out the latest crop of horror movies. I’ve seen a lot of really bad horror films in my life but I have to say that some of the more recent additions to the genre have been quite exceptional. One of the best movies I’ve seen this season is The Boogeyman, based on the short story by Stephen King (from his collection, Night Shift, if you have a hankering to read it).
The movie is directed by Rob Savage and features an ensemble cast including Sophie Thatcher, David Dastmalchian, Vivien Lyra Blair, Chris Messina, Madison Hu, and Marin Ireland. It is a chilling and masterful exploration of fear and paranoia. You know that hair-raising, tingling sensation you get when confronted with something unknown and terrifying? That’s pretty much how I felt the entire time I was watching this movie.
The story centers around high school student Sadie Harper, played with magnificent intensity by Sophie Thatcher, and her young sister, Sawyer, played by diminutive and incredibly talented Vivien Lyra Blair, both of whom are reeling after the death of their mother. Their father, Will, played by a bearded Chris Messina, is a therapist who is struggling with his own intense pain while trying to put on a brave face for his family and instead distancing himself from his girls just when they need him the most.
When Lester Billings, a desperate young father who has recently lost his own children—portrayed with immense creepiness by David Dastmalchian—unexpectedly shows up at their house seeking Will’s help, he inadvertently brings with him a malevolent entity that preys on human suffering. This creature soon begins targeting Will’s daughters, stalking them, and fulfilling their darkest nightmares. Madison Hu delivers a great performance as Sadie’s well-intentioned but somewhat clueless best friend, and Marin Ireland is absolutely brilliant as the gun-toting, driven, and fiercely angry Rita, Lester Billings’ unhinged wife.
The film’s success largely rests on Rob Savage’s masterful direction. He skillfully crafts a dark and unsettling atmosphere from the very beginning, using meticulous attention to detail and a slow-burning pace that builds tension to excruciating levels. The cinematography, by a talented crew led by Director of Photography, Eli Born, is nothing short of exceptional. Dark corners and shadowy doorways filled with hidden menace are everywhere and the camera creates a disturbing visual experience that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the film.
The Boogeyman pays homage to Stephen King’s storytelling by maintaining the unsettling ambiguity that permeates much of his work. It doesn’t provide any easy answers and leaves room for interpretation and lingering unease long after the credits roll. Rob Savage’s direction, coupled with outstanding performances by the cast, creates an atmosphere of dread that is both visceral and psychologically unnerving. This film is a chilling exploration of grief, paranoia, and the monsters we all imagine are hiding in the darkness, just out of sight.