Mama (2013)

Sadly Over-hyped

A Major Disappointment

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

I have watched a LOT of horror movies, and it is always a genuine pleasure to come across a truly original and creepy movie that has not been over hyped. I am not a big fan of slasher movies like Halloween, or torture porn like Motel and Saw. But love a good supernatural horror. And this is one. The acting is first class, especially the two child leads, who are convincing and disturbing at the same time. The story line is original, which is no mean feat in itself, and there are some very creepy and scary moments. The ending is a little drawn out and over wrought , but that is excusable given the It would be hard to give a synopsis without giving anything away, but if you enjoy excellent supernatural horror you really should check this out. I can't believe it's taken me 5 years to come across this. It gives me hope there are still more out there to find.

I watched this movie this year on demand and I loved it. The kids who played Victoria and Lilly were really good(I still can't believe the kid who played Victoria played Greta in It(2017)). I do agree that Mama could've been animated better than she was, but overall it was a FANTASTIC movie. The ending was extremely emotional, and I cried so hard when Lilly died. Definitely one of my new favorite thrillers though, one I'll probably buy at some point

Seemed like a pretty standard run-of-the-mill horror movie when I first read about it and saw the trailers, but as I saw it (about 3 weeks before official release) it's actually one of the new millenias most unusual film in its genre. It's has a very dark and strange theme and feel to it, but at the same time an old school Grimm-brothers-like storyline and keeps on surprising. Truly unique and a must see for any horror movie fan.

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