Name: The Boogeyman
Genre: Horror
Released: 2023-05-31T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Sophie Thatcher, Vivien Lyra Blair, Chris Messina, David Dastmalchian, Marin Ireland

The hallway stretches into darkness, the camera gliding along its length as shadows flicker at the edges of the frame. This opening shot of The Boogeyman (2023) director Rob Savage sets a chilling tone, one that promises a descent into supernatural horror rooted in familial grief. Yet, despite its atmospheric beginnings, the film struggles to sustain this tension throughout its overlong runtime.

Based on Stephen King’s 1973 short story of the same name, The Boogeyman follows the Harper sisters, Sadie (Sophie Thatcher) and Sawyer (Vivien Lyra Blair), as they navigate the tragic loss of their mother while confronting a malevolent entity lurking in their home. The film expands significantly on King’s source material, stretching a concise tale into a feature-length horror narrative. This expansion, however, feels unnecessary, as the film’s pacing drags under the weight of added subplots and character backstories that do little to enhance the central horror.

Sophie Thatcher delivers a standout performance as Sadie Harper. Her portrayal of a grieving teenager balances plausible angst with genuine fear, making her a compelling anchor for the story. Thatcher excels in playing a sullen teen, a role that can easily tip into cartoonish territory but remains grounded under her direction. Vivien Lyra Blair is equally impressive as Sawyer, bringing a childlike vulnerability that heightens the scares and adds emotional depth to the film’s central conflict. Chris Messina’s performance as their grief-stricken father, Will Harper, is solid but underutilized. His character feels one-dimensional, reduced to a cliché of the distracted parent who fails to see the danger his children are in until it’s almost too late.

The film’s cinematography and editing are its strongest assets. Savage employs creative camera angles and quick cuts to build tension, particularly in the scenes where the Boogeyman is lurking just out of frame. The sound design is also noteworthy, using subtle creaks and whispers to create an unsettling atmosphere. These technical elements work together to craft moments of genuine dread, but they are too few and far between.

One of the film’s most effective scenes is a sequence in which Sadie explores the attic. The camera lingers on dusty corners and hidden nooks, the tension building as she hears faint whispers and sees shadows move. This scene showcases Savage’s ability to create atmosphere and suspense without resorting to cheap thrills. However, these moments of brilliance are undermined by a script that relies too heavily on jump scares and predictable plot twists.

The Boogeyman suffers from an identity crisis. It tries to be both a psychological horror film and a supernatural thriller, but it never fully commits to either. The exploration of grief and family trauma is intriguing but underdeveloped. The film’s reliance on King’s name and the inherent scariness of the Boogeyman mythos can’t save it from its structural flaws.

The Boogeyman’s central theme—grief as a catalyst for supernatural terror—is one that could have been explored more deeply. The sisters’ sadness over their mother’s death is a plot point, but the film never fully delves into how this grief manifests in their lives beyond serving as a convenient explanation for the Boogeyman’s targeting of them. This missed opportunity leaves the emotional core of the story feeling shallow.

The film’s pacing issues are particularly evident in its runtime. Clocking in at 108 minutes, The Boogeyman feels bloated, with several scenes that add little to the central narrative. The first half-hour is tight and tense, but the film quickly loses momentum as it introduces subplots and character backstories that feel tacked on. This expansion of King’s short story serves no clear purpose other than to pad out the runtime, resulting in a film that feels disjointed and unfocused.

Despite its flaws, The Boogeyman has moments of genuine brilliance. The cinematography is often stunning, with Savage using light and shadow to create an atmosphere of creeping dread. The performances by Thatcher and Blair are standout, adding emotional depth to what could have been a straightforward horror flick. And the sound design is top-notch, using subtle audio cues to build tension and keep the audience on edge.

Ultimately, The Boogeyman is a missed opportunity. It has all the ingredients for a great horror film—a compelling central premise, strong performances, and impressive technical elements—but it fails to bring these elements together in a cohesive way. The film’s overlong runtime and reliance on jump scares undermine its potential, resulting in a story that feels more like a collection of disparate parts than a unified whole.

For fans of Stephen King adaptations or supernatural horror, The Boogeyman may still offer some chills, but it’s far from essential viewing.