boogeyman (The Boogeyman) is a perfect example of a tale of Stephen King. Although the cinema has dedicated several decades of adaptations to him, there are still examples like these that show the author with the same freshness and astonishment of the first feature films. It is not a huge film, but a very simple one that complies with the regulations with everything it must do without getting lost in the genre’s defects, which is very common in horror.
Still unrecovered from the death of her mother, a teenager, Sadie (Sophie Thatcher) and her little sister, Sawyer (Vivien Lyra Blair) are increasingly tormented by what seems to be a presence in their home. In the midst of their mourning they must face this being while trying to get their father, Will (Chris Messina), a psychologist, to also wake up from his emotional anguish and help them. This dangerous situation begins with a strange man who asks Will for help, telling him that something evil has killed his children. By the time Will calls the police, the horror has already begun.
The title of the film alludes to what in Latin American countries is known as cuckoo or coconut, an evil presence that attacks children who do not want to fall asleep. Children’s songs and countless stories allude to this character whose origin has several different versions. In American movies the figure is usually found in the closet of the children’s room and when the lights go out, if the child is awake, it appears. With this idea in mind, Stephen King built a story that he published for the first time in 1978. The film does not dispel the author’s recognizable hand to give terror an extra twist.
All the merit of the film is the anguish of the characters facing the mourning of the dead mother and wife. Their vulnerability to the world is what connects the viewer with the characters, in the same way that it creates the space for the monster to peek out and want to take over them. The film maintains its elegance throughout and the cast shines in its efficiency to convince.
A combination of drama and horror needs more thorough work. boogeyman was to be thrown directly into the streaming, but the good first performances that were made opened the door to go to theaters this month. Deserved space for a film that has and respects the world of Stephen King.
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