The Boogeyman might be rated PG-13, but don’t let that fool you. It is absolutely terrifying. This is a hide behind your hands while you watch movie.
Don’t let The Boogeyman‘s PG-13 rating fool you, this movie will have viewers on the edge of their seats nearly the entire way through. The perfect combination of jump scares and tense, suspenseful moments, this film is one of the scariest in years.
If you have been following my reviews for a while, you know that I am pretty lenient on what I allow my children to watch. My ten year old’s favorite current film is M3gan, for example. But there is no world where I would let my children watch this movie. That is just asking for trouble. So sure, it might be rated PG-13, but it feels more like an R rated horror film — and trust me, that’s a good thing.
The simple fact that The Boogeyman is based off of a Stephen King short story should be enough to have any horror fan excited. Director Rob Savage takes inspiration from what is already a terrifying story and takes it to a whole new level. Packed with Stephen King Easter eggs, The Boogeyman doesn’t forget its origins, but it is sure to deliver something new for those that might think they know what is coming.
In The Boogeyman, High school student Sadie Harper (Sophie Thatcher) and her younger sister Sawyer (Vivien Lyra Blair) are reeling from the recent death of their mother and aren’t getting much support from their father, Will (Chris Messina), a therapist who is dealing with his own pain.
When a desperate patient (David Dastmalchian) unexpectedly shows up at their home seeking help, he leaves behind a terrifying supernatural entity that preys on families and feeds on the suffering of its victims.
The heavy themes of grief literally being the death of you are felt throughout the movie. If you are holding onto that pain, the boogeyman is going to come get you. And that, is a terrifying thought because everyone has dealt with pain in their life.
As with any monster movie, it is all about the suspense. The less you show the creature on screen, the more scary it is. It is all about the unknown with a film like this. The first and second act do a wonderful job of showing the audience just enough to scare them, but not enough to cause them to get comfortable. Brilliantly, the words “the boogeyman” are only uttered once in the entire film, keeping things feeling like a mystery.
In the third act, Director Rob Savage finds a way to raise his own bar, adding an element to the creature that is truly horrific. For fear of spoilers I will not go into details, but this is what nightmares are made of, I promise you. The visuals are insane, terrifying, and completely unexpected.
When it comes to the lore surrounding the boogeyman, this is where the script really excels. I won’t go into too much detail, but this creature has been roaming the Earth since the beginning of time, at least that is what the characters come to believe. It has perfected its craft of hunting down its prey, complete with manipulating its voice to trick those it wants to kill.
The Boogeyman is easily one of the scariest movies in years. It starts with an opening scene that will have your jaw on the floor and almost never slows down. This movie is the true definition of a heart-pounding movie that will have you on the edge of your seat. While the jump scares are effective, it is the suspense and intense feeling of not knowing what is coming next that is the true horror.
The majority of people in my theater were hiding behind their hands, screaming at the screen, and burying themselves into their chairs as deeply as they could – myself included. And I love horror, so let that sink in.
The Boogeyman focuses on telling the story through the perspective of the kids. Sawyer is the little sister who fully believes that what she is seeing is real. Sadie is caught somewhere between adulthood and childhood, not really sure what to think. And of course, the father Will, believes this monster was made up due to trauma. It doesn’t help the situation that he is a therapist, so this is his go-to explanation.
Sophie Thatcher is phenomenal as the lead in this film. The movie simply would not have worked as well as it does without her in this role. She commands attention whenever she is on the screen, delivering more than enough emotion through her actions and facial expressions that she never has to explain how her character is feeling. It is clear she is the connection between her sister Sawyer and her father, not knowing which way to lean at times.
With her mother gone, she steps into that role for her sister, but also struggles with her friend group and how that has changed. She is an important part of the story and adds a depth to it that should be applauded.
Vivien Lyra Blair has already solidified herself as one of the best young actors working today as little Leia in Obi-Wan Kenobi, and she proves it once again as Sawyer in The Boogeyman. Her line delivery is equal parts terrifying and hilarious. There are certain one liners that she throws out that make it impossible not to fall in love with the character.
After all, what good is a horror movie if you don’t root for the main characters?
Overall Thoughts
The Boogeyman is destined to become an immediate hit in the horror genre. Put aside the worry about the PG-13 rating and know that this movie was pushed as far as it could, oftentimes feeling like an R rated film. It is not just scary, though, it also tells an intriguing story that will have viewers interested while simultaneously watching between their fingers. It’s the perfect blend of jump scares and tense moments, with the creature work causing it to be unforgettable.
I can’t figure out if it is better to have closet doors open or closed, but one thing is for sure, I will be sleeping with the lights on for months after watching this movie.
The Boogeyman comes to theaters June 2nd, which is the best way to see it — because you won’t want to watch it alone.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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About The Boogeyman
The Boogeyman is a horror-thriller from the mind of best-selling author Stephen King. High school student Sadie Harper and her younger sister Sawyer are reeling from the recent death of their mother and aren’t getting much support from their father, Will, a therapist who is dealing with his own pain.
When a desperate patient unexpectedly shows up at their home seeking help, he leaves behind a terrifying supernatural entity that preys on families and feeds on the suffering of its victims.
The Boogeyman comes exclusively to theaters June 2nd.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.
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