Not the Film I Thought I'd Get

Rating: 8/10 (19 April 2015)

I had seen the trailer for the movie and heard the good reviews and admit that I had a preconceived notion of this movie. I was expecting something akin to a haunted house film, albeit with a creature that was promising to be something grim and terrifying based on those trailers. Part of me was skeptical because this genre of "creepy thing in the shadows" can be very hard to pull off.
How the movie succeeds in doing that so well is by not really trying to be that style of horror, at all. In fact, this movie has much more in common, in my mind, with a movie like THE SHINING than it does with whatever the latest SINISTER CONJURING hit might be. The horror in this movie may or may not exist in reality and it could possible all just be a symbol used to explore issues of grief and mental illness. It all leads up to a conclusion that has been the core of some debate but will surely do what any great film should, which is leave you asking some questions and considering some meaning from the film.
The horror in this movie stands out because it is used as the backdrop for what is, essentially, the exploration of a relationship between a woman, who has lost her husband, and her son who she sees as the living symbol of that loss. This pang of resentment is amplified even more by the just this side of obnoxious misbehavior of the young boy. The acting is what really stands out, though, as both are asked to be terrific to pull off this script and both do an admirable job. Essie Davis draws you in to liking her overwhelmed mother enough to empathize as she unravels, while Noah Wiseman equally plays a cute enough little kid that you can't help but cheer for him even as he grates your nerves. These two are the anchors of this movie and the major reasons for its' success.
The focus on this damaged relationship wouldn't be quite so interesting, however, without a firm backing in horror and this movie doesn't disappoint. The director does a great job of paying homage to many influences while staying in that old-school mentality of less is more. The monster is never really given in full reveal, but each moment where it does get a chance to shine is truly creepy and unnerving. The glimpses we do get of the monster give the viewer a primal fear, it's the stuff of nightmares, a combination of Dr Caligari, Jack the Ripper and the bad wolves from old black and white cartoons, namely a monster straight from our childhood nightmares.
Like any movie with this much hype it's going to have its' detractors. In the same way, any movie this hyped is going to be hard to truly appreciate. It can be hard to see it for the greatness that it is rather than the greatness it was supposed to be, but watch this movie with an open mind and a willingness to appreciate how much is really excellent about this film. It might just be one of the best movies of the past ten years.