The Boogeyman
Directed by Rob Savage
- horror
The story
Still reeling from the tragic death of their mother, a teenage girl and her younger sister find themselves plagued by a sadistic presence in their house and struggle to get their grieving father to pay attention before it’s too late.
What it’s like
Dim, cluttered family rooms, hallways lit by a single lamp, and closet doors left just ajar give this its feel, with the house itself often the most unsettling thing on screen. Bursts of sudden sound and sharp cuts drive the scares, and a low, hollow, thudding score keeps the nerves on edge between them. Its mood is wry and self-aware, with a steady stream of genre-savvy humour undercutting the dread, so it plays like a creepy, grief-soaked fright night rather than a bleak slog. The pacing is brisk and the emotional core is a teenage girl and her little sister trying to get their withdrawn father to notice what is happening to them. Expect jump scares, a few gruesome and violent moments, and sustained peril involving children, but little sexual content and no sustained gore. It suits a group watch on a Friday night or a late-night viewing for people who enjoy familiar scares delivered with a knowing grin.
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