The Boogeyman is long standing mythical creature that’s haunted many for years and it doesn’t look to be stopping any time soon.
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There has been many a variation of the Boogeyman in film and literature that it’s impossible to not have heard of it in one form or another. Now comes a new film based on the 1973 short story by King of Horror author Stephen King.
The Boogeyman follows the story of psychiatrist Dr Will Harper (Chris Messina) and his daughters Sadie (Sophie Thatcher) and Sawyer (Obi-Wan Kenobi breakout Vivien Lyra Blair). Still reeling from the death of his wife and their mother, their strained relationship is further challenged when Will encounters a patient describing the deaths of his daughters when left alone in their bedrooms. Troubled by the accusations he is responsible for their murders, the patient (an ever committed David Dastmalchian) commits suicide in Dr Harper’s home and unleashes a malevolant force unto the Harpers.
As much as The Boogeyman derives from horror origins, there is grounded dramatic elements that touches on grief and loneliness that sets the film apart from your everyday genre film. Messina has his moments of being the out-of-touch father but it’s Blair, who’s fast becoming one of the greatest young actors out there, who is most engaging to watch here. She’s encountered the Boogeyman but she still plays video games in the dark. The young talent delivers a solid performance beyond her years as the scared yet gallant young Sawyer, emoting with all her might and being the glue that brings the Harper family together.
A film featuring a creature that thrives in darkness, the play on lighting is admirable here. It adds to the tension and suspense build up that is part of the driving force of this otherwise slowburn of a film that borderlines drama and horror. Shoutout to the very cool moon lamp Sawyer hugs to sleep. We will never look at that the same again.
The final reveal of the Boogeyman is nothing short of terrifying. Its nightmare-inducing character design will leave you shining a light at every dark corner of a room you’re in just to make sure it’s not there to get you.
The Boogeyman is long standing mythical creature that’s haunted many for years and it doesn’t look to be stopping any time soon.
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