New Stephen King Horror Film Promises Chilling Thrills

The reviews for Boogeyman are in and they are mostly positive, with one major critique. Based on a Stephen King short story, the film follows a widower father and his two daughters as they face off against a supernatural entity that feeds on their fear and pain. Starring Sophie Thatcher, Chris Messina, Vivien Lyra Blair, and David Dastmalchian, Boogeyman has been reviewed by critics ahead of its June 2 release date. While some reviewers note that it doesn't quite stand out from other horror thrillers in the same vein, most agree that director Rob Savage has created an effectively creepy atmosphere. Here's what some reviewers had to say:

Nick Allen, RogerEbert.com:

There are some fleeting moments of excitement in this movie, but it relies too heavily on a predictable formula for jump scares, including false alarms and putting children in peril. The first half of the film creates an atmosphere that is occasionally unsettling, but never truly frightening. The movie's most inventive aspect is its use of minimal lighting and sound, such as when Sawyer rolls her large illuminated ball down a dark hallway, hoping that her worst fears won't be realized on the other side.

According to Kate Erbland from IndieWire, there are plenty of intriguing concepts at play in the film, ranging from the weighty topic of how people process grief to the clever idea that childhood nightmares can become horrifying realities. However, the movie loses its intrigue and scares as soon as the titular "Boogeyman" is revealed. While there's nothing quite as frightening as mysterious bumps in the night, that terror quickly dissipates once we turn on the lights and see what's actually there.

Director Rob Savage has explored contemporary fears in his films Host and DASHCAM, utilizing modern storytelling methods such as Zoom meetings and YouTube paranoia to bring old terrors to life in the pandemic era. However, in his latest film The Boogeyman, Savage returns to traditional horror. Produced by the team behind A Quiet Place, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, this teen-centric ghost story is driven by a mix of grief and wonder, designed to deliver maximum scares with minimal effort. Adapted from Stephen King's 1973 short story, The Boogeyman is sure to terrify audiences with its classic horror elements.

"The Boogeyman" may not be revolutionary, but that's just fine. Savage has a talent for hitting all the right notes and creating an incredibly effective experience. He uses classic techniques to great effect, resulting in a satisfying and thoroughly entertaining story.

According to Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter, even though "The Boogeyman" is not one of King's most significant works, when executed this well, it can still be incredibly frightening.

Ultimately, The Boogeyman follows the trend of many contemporary horror films that focus on creating a particular atmosphere. While it does feature several unsettling scenes that are genuinely frightening, it's unlikely that viewers will find any significant meaning or complexity in the overall story. In many ways, searching for substance in The Boogeyman is akin to searching for a mythical creature in the depths of one's closet.

At present, The Boogeyman has made a debut on Rotten Tomatoes with a Fresh score of 82 percent. Although this rating may alter with the inclusion of more reviews, it seems that the movie's generic aspects have been surpassed by its effectiveness. The small cast of The Boogeyman has also played a significant role in increasing its reputation.

Even if the score decreases but still remains Fresh, it would be a significant deviation from the author's recent adaptations. Other 2020 releases based on Stephen King's work, such as Children of the Corn, have received a dismal Rotten score of 11 percent. Additionally, King's movies from the previous year, including Firestarter (10 percent) and Mr. Harrigan's Phone (45 percent), have also received a firmly Rotten rating.

The Boogeyman has the potential to restore King's reputation for adaptations in the 2020s, possibly elevating his onscreen status to that which he held in the late 2010s. It: Chapter Two (62 percent) and It (86 percent), released in 2019 and 2017 respectively, were both critical and commercial triumphs, culminating in the well-received Doctor Sleep in 2019 (78 percent). Although The Boogeyman is expected to fall somewhere in the middle of the pack, it could usher in a renewed, invigorated era of King-inspired films.