Undescribable Perfection

the audience applauded

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

The acting in this movie is really good.

This is meant in a genuine and not at all malicious way. 'Mama' is not a bad film. It's also (this is all personal opinion, not objective) not a great film. It very nearly was and its potential was enormous, but this is one of the most frustrating recent examples of films of two halves.'Mama' is absolutely great in the first half. It's genuinely unnerving with a good deal of suspense in the ambiance and build-ups, beautifully timed jolts and spine-tingling scares without resorting to cheap gratuitous gore to make their mark. There are many horror influences here but not in a cheap or predictable way, almost in an affectionate homage sort of way without it meaning to be. The titular character is an ominously creepy presence for most of the film, there is a real sense of danger lurking around the corner at any time. There is something very beautiful and poignant about the story-telling too, underneath the horror was something more than that with at first characters one could connect with and a vulnerable edge that comes over movingly.On the most part, 'Mama' looks good. It's suitably unsettling but also beautifully shot with creepy and audacious production design and splendidly macabre and sometimes inventive visuals. For the first half of the film, a lot of thought went into the visual effects. The direction from Andy Muschietti shows successful attempts at taking risks rather than over-blowing things or taking it too safe, there is a lot of visual panache and a seeming appreciation for film not just of the horror genre but in general (some of it actually almost thriller-like).Always look out for a good music score in film, being a musician and growing up in a musical family music is of great importance to me when watching film, television etc. 'Mama' has that, a lot of it is truly haunting while not being over-bearingly used.Jessica Chastain may not convince as a punk rocker but gives a performance of intensity, steel and vulnerability. Have noticed that both here and in Muschietti's latest film 'IT' that he brings the best out of child-acting, something that has wildly varied in film throughout history. Because 'Mama' is one of the finer recent examples of child acting that is remarkably mature, poised, natural, affecting and sometimes frightening. All of which achieved by Isabelle Nelisse and particularly Megan Charpentier. Daniel Kash makes the most of his problematic nearly pointless plot-device role, while Mama herself is voiced to unnerving effect and even more so in action with Javier Botet.Which is why it is such a pity that at the midway point 'Mama' feels like a different film altogether with a second half that brings things down. The scares become less frequent, the pace lacks its tautness, the dialogue gets confused and things start becoming predictable and contrived. Due to plot devices not properly followed through, things that don't add up sense-wise and some illogical character decisions.The less frequent the scares got, Mama also diminished in the scare factor and was almost cartoonish and the effects start to lack finesse. Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau does his best but he is used terribly to the point that he is nearly completely wasted, despite his role in the story being important it's not treated as importantly as ought and fairly indifferently done in execution.Faring least is the ending, which was unsatisfying on every level as has been said. It is just far too ridiculously outlandish, feels tacked on and it's also very vague in that it leaves questions without fully if at all answering them.In conclusion, great first half but really disappoints in the second with a slap-in-the-face ending. A small 6/10, was very torn in what to give it having been so disappointed with its unevenness but its good elements and the first half were so well done that being too hard on it was a no-no. Bethany Cox

Based on the success of the short, Guillermo del Toro presents this feature length version of Andy Muschietti's vision. First off, the 15 certificate filled me with foreboding. When are we going to start seeing horror 18's again! But saying that this film does have it's fair share of jumps, throw in to the mix a spirit who's 'Grudge' like noises definitely creeped me out and will make me check my closet before going to sleep his evening. the film follows two young girls who are abandoned in a cabin in the woods by their estranged father for 6 years before their uncles efforts to find them succeed. They are rescued and taken in by their uncle and his reluctant girlfriend but who has been looking after them all this time? I was fairly impressed with the overall aesthetics of this movie and it confirms my suspicions that Europeans are indeed the masters of horror. Yes this is technically a remake, but a remake of the directors own short film made 6 years previous and not a pointless scareless rehash that seems popular in the states of late. Muschietti's ability to take us on a journey through the eyes of not just Annabel but also of the two young girls was expertly driven, normally kids in movies make me reach for the remote to change channel but these two were fantastic. Jessica Chastain's portrayal of Annabel was very believable as a woman not ready for the burden of motherhood but she carries the role exceedingly well and the film is as much her journey as that of the kids and of the 'what' that has been looking after them.Watch it if you were disappointed with Drag me to Hell or Don't be Afraid of the Dark as this is far better

I do like horror of all types but I'm mainly a 60s-90s guy.I went to see this on its release and there are a few suspenseful moments but nothing that made me jump out of my skin or that made me feel uncomfortable and that made my heart race.When I first saw "mama" itself I hide to stifle a laugh with a mouthful of popcorn and from that point onward I could not take the movie seriously.There are far greater and far better horrors out there both PG-13 and above.Sorry Mama but you left me wanting to be an orphan.3/10

I didn't really care for this movie too much overall. It drew me in right from the beginning and it stays entertaining enough, but the CGI is not great and it quickly turned into a cheesy ghost story without anything original to offer.It reminds me a lot of other ghost story movies. It has a similar plot to "The Ring" in a way, but is less suspenseful and doesn't work as well. It shows the "ghost" a lot, probably too much, instead of leaving more for the imagination, which left me pretty bored in the second half. After it is shown that the ghost can appear whenever and do actual physical harm, it becomes kind of silly to keep dragging the movie on with close calls. The ending was terrible in my opinion, and I couldn't even finish the last few minutes of the film. I don't want to spoil it, but I will say that its overly dramatic and emotional.The sound design is great and the film has nice production value other than the CGI. I think this director shows a lot of promise and would do better with a better script.