Young Megan Charpentier and Isabelle Nelisse have spent five years alone in the woods. Their father (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) fled there with them after some shonky business forced him to run. But one night, dad was killed by something mysterious in the shadows and the kids were left to fend for themselves all this time. The girls are now in a somewhat feral state, with their uncle (also played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) seeking custody, along with his musician girlfriend Jessica Chastain. When they take the girls, home, however, things get weird. The girls appear to be communicating with an invisible entity they call ‘Mama’. And this Mama is super possessive of her children. And seemingly real, as Chastain comes to learn. Daniel Kash plays the child psychiatrist the girls are assigned.
Well here’s a film I wasn’t expecting to be half as good as it is. This horror film from director/co-writer Andy Muschietti (a debutant who previously made a short version of this) is underrated and quite disturbing. I could do without the J-horror long black hair motif, and the phenomenally overrated Jessica Chastain is monotonous and boring as hell in the lead, but otherwise this is some pretty messed-up, creepy stuff that in some ways is my kind of horror film.
Chastain’s tattooed skankified (my word, but you can use it) look is just so put-on. She’s about as ‘rock chick’ as P!nk is (actually, a lot less than that). I think cinematographer Antonio Riestra has underlit things just a tad, but some of the darkness is effective and a roving camera is nicely applied, with some excellent shot composition too. There’s a great bit where one of the kids is playing tug-of-war and we see that the other kid isn’t in the room, nor is Chastain. Well-done, and a nice use of shadow at times too. And a crack in the wall that unleashes a nasty beasty? Polanski goodness right there, and me likey a lot. The film also has a character give us what I consider to be the best definition of a ghost, ever. You’ll have to see the film yourself to hear it, but it’s awesome.
If there’s a real problem, it’s the character of the Aunt, who should’ve been excised entirely for a number of reasons. She’s a constant irritation, and I also refuse to believe Chastain would be given sole custody. That’s some overly expedient storytelling right there. In fact, I actually didn’t believe she or Nikolaj Coster-Waldau were the right custodians of the kids. That’s a failing of screenwriters Neil Cross, and Andy Muschietti & Barbara Muschietti in not making that argument convincing to the audience. These, however, are small flaws in an otherwise solid film.
BTW, I don’t know about you, but my theory is that Mama is in some way related to the librarian from “Ghostbusters”. Anyone else think so?
The creepiest thing about the film is easily young Isabelle Nelisse (who doesn’t speak English, and is therefore mostly silent) as the youngest of the two girls. She’s odd and really unsettling if you ask me.
OVERALL SUMMARY
A creepy, mostly effective horror film that will remind you quite a bit of Roman Polanski and Stanley Kubrick at times. Certainly a better-than-average effort, despite Jessica Chastain being unimpressive in the lead role.
