Horror movie fans, get ready for another iconic character to haunt your dreams – The Boogeyman is coming to theaters on June 2, 2023. While Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Ghostface have all terrorized audiences for years, The Boogeyman may be the most infamous harbinger of terror based on its simple concept. The Boogeyman tells a story that will take you back to your childhood, where you feared the shadowy creature lurking under your bed or in the closet. Director Rob Savage takes on this classic horror story of a shadow-dwelling demon from Stephen King’s short tale, and though the adaptation may be formulaic, it has enough scares to make it worthwhile, proving that PG-13 horror can still be terrifying even to horror addicts.
Starring an Impressive Cast
With an impressive cast, The Boogeyman is an all-hands-on-deck production that brings the bare-bones, campfire story to life. Writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods collaborated with co-writer Mark Heyman to tell the story of the Harper family, fighting against unsightly evil. Known for her standout performance in Yellowjackets, Sophie Thatcher plays the eldest daughter Sadie, who leads the charge against The Boogeyman. 10-year-old Vivien Lyra Blair plays her younger sister Sawyer, who does an excellent job of embodying the unusual terrors that come from lurking, shadowy figures present in a familiar childhood nightmare. Although Chris Messina’s portrayal of their psychologist father, Will, doesn’t delve deep into understanding the Boogeyman’s true nature, Sawyer and Sadie have done an excellent job of selling the Boogeyman’s scare tactics with each bloodcurdling scene.
The Boogeyman is famous for its in-your-face jump scares, and Savage doesn’t shy away from using that to its full advantage. Although the movie may be reliant on jump scares, the filmmakers did an excellent job of bringing the iconic urban legend to life. Since childhood fears of things lurking in the darkness of the closet are universal, this movie will scare audiences of all ages, making it a sleepover superhit when it comes to streaming.
A Familiar Story
The Boogeyman may have a simple concept, but it manages to scare viewers with its familiarity. It’s reminiscent of Lights Out, another movie that drew on timeless Boogeyman-adjacent mythology. However, whereas Lights Out developed deeper roots for its story, The Boogeyman’s story is more straightforward and operates best as a haunted attraction, where siblings are spooked senseless by their live-in tormentor. While it’s not the most profound movie, its barebones blueprint is a delicious slice of homestyle horror.
An Eerie Monster
No horror movie can be complete without a scary monster, and The Boogeyman doesn’t disappoint in that regard. The Boogeyman is a combination of a nimble insect and an emaciated human with sunken eyeholes, adding to the eerie ambiance of the movie. While there are a few moments where the Boogeyman’s animations may not be the smoothest, the use of darkness minimizes the flaws, and the creature design is excellent.
The Finale
The Boogeyman’s finale will leave moviegoers with special effects applause. The Boogeyman feels like it would fit perfectly in both The Descent and A Quiet Place with its evolving berserkers and nocturnal fiends. The movie maintains a balance between building up the monster’s mystery and keeping the scares coming, making sure the audience is never robbed of full-throttle defenses against the soul-sucking evil.