Truly Good - Could've Been Great

Rating: 7/10 (26 May 2013)

It's so frustrating to finally see a horror film that could be something rare and wonderful - a lovely horror film - and then watch it fall short because of a few key mistakes. First off, this is good. Really good. Bored beyond measure by today's emphasis on visuals, I feel the art and graphics here are stunning and different. The acting is high, high quality straight through, with the possible exception of the thankless role of the sister-in-law. The story itself is mythic and haunting. Best of all is Chastain's arc from (believable) rock chick to mom. How great it would have been, had the trajectory simply built on the growing rivalry between the two female forces. It does to a degree, but it goes off in sad places. As in silly, easily avoidable plot and character lapses: why would the doctor not warn Annabel (it couldn't hurt his agenda), and no hubris brings a lone man to that cabin at night, knowing what he knows. Or: the dumb, late night appearance of the sister-in-law. Aaaaargh. Then - why introduce the father's spirit only once? Is he not as strong a ghost as Mama? Lastly, utterly unforgivable is Luke's rising at the end, after Mama hand-spears him. I didn't want him dead, but dead is better than an actor having to play that, 'huh, what happened?' moment. Still. The ending is nicely set up (and borrows beautifully from 'The Uninvited'), and actually affecting emotionally. How many horror movies can make that claim? As said, this is so close to greatness, it makes you angry.