BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

LouHomey From my favorite movies..

Aiden Melton The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Ella-May O'Brien Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Vicky Jonas A promising premise that didn't deliver. From a technical pov, I believe the movie was really well shot and directed, with some nice cinematography. The cinematography enhanced the setting of the terrifying woods creating a tense atmosphere. The use of light and darkness for suspense was quite clever and I founf myself holding my breath in specific scenes. Unfortunately when it comes to the plot, the movie feels quite flat, unoriginal and repetitive. While the initial setting was promising, and I certainly appreciate the effort to make the characters tridimensional and highlight their emotional bond. The acting is pretty good, Zoe Kazan and Ella Ballentine certainly have chemistry on screen, which made their mother-daugther relationship very real. However, the movie falls apart on its way to the third act. I don't feel like the movie exploited the symbolism as much as it could, so much wasted potential, it did end up falling in a lot of horror clichés.Would I recommend it? I don't know, if you're looking for a good family drama-horror mix, with all its problems The Babdook is far more satisfying in most aspects.

ninjanorm This movie had a lot of potential going in, very classic monster movie feel. The relationship between the mother and daughter has great character dynamic as well. However, everything is basically thrown away in the last act. It's a shame that a lot of talented people did so much apparent hard work to make this movie of good quality, only to have it all trashed by terrible writing in the last act. The movie would have been better had they ended it when the ambulance went off the road. That wouldn't be a great ending but it would be better than the trash they tacked on at the end. The whole monster doesn't like light thing is clamy and not consistent in the movie. The Mom suicide/sacrifice is unmotivated. The girl stopping the monster in midair with an aresol can, is just bad all the way around. The monster can stop a moving ambulance, but aerosol yielded by a little girl is too much for it. Then is the monster made of purely flameable material, because it went up like a bonfire with just a kiss of flame? Really? All this throwing away of a good movie for some half baked, backwards message that little girls are empowered to fight the monsters on their own.

hearthstoneivan 7/10 A decent little movie set in one location with strong performances. Great cinematography and small-scale conflicts make it very personal for the audience. The monster itself is scarier in a metaphorical context rather than a physical one. The tension is sometimes interrupted by flashbacks, which are heartwarming. If you enjoy movies with deeper meanings and themes, you'll probably enjoy this one.

unkinected This is a monster movie in the same way that Pan's Labyrinth is a monster movie; there's a horrible beast in it, but it is only secondary to the plot.The trailer and description of this movie do it no justice. This is a movie about the relationship between an alcoholic abusive mother and her daughter, and it is at times difficult to watch because of the raw intensity in the scenes. I found the emotions and actions to be very realistic, and the love/hate relationship from both sides - but especially the daughter - is written perfectly; fans of child psychology will eat this up.OK, so the monster is there. It is done very well, and the tension derived from the horror aspects are well handled too. With only a few jump scares, the movie relies more on the darkness and mood to cause you unease. There is some action around the monster that is too light in treatment, but remember, this is not a movie about the monster. And in that sense, the cursory treatment makes more sense.The symbolism is obvious in retrospect, but it is a bit more literal than fantastical, unlike Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. You can very much take this movie at face value; as if the action is really happening. But there's an entirely other level to it if you want to take the leap. We all have demons, and these two characters have their fair share that manifest themselves in a few ways on screen.I really enjoyed this movie and was moved to tears. It is bittersweet; at the same time horrifying, raw, and very dark in soul, but yet leaves you with a sense that one can still go on, despite enormous trials and tragedies. For those who've had difficult relationships with a family member, or have faced incredible loss, it is especially touching. It's a rare movie that can stir a full range of emotions. It's not perfect, but the talented cast and crew put together something that will stick with me for a long time. Kudos to them all.