Boogeyman (2012)

Directed by Jeffery Scott Lando [Other horror films: Savage Island (2004), Insecticidal (2005), Alien Incursion (2006), Decoys 2: Alien Seduction (2007), House of Bones (2010), Thirst (2010), Goblin (2010), Haunted High (2012), Roboshark (2015), Suspension (2015)]

This isn’t a movie I particularly expected to like the first time I saw it, but it surprised me, and I ended up enjoying it a decent amount. Oh, it’s not an amazing movie, but I did think it was fun. Seeing it again confirms that feeling. It’s still not a great movie, but hell, I think it’s fun.

Not that the fun comes from any humor – certainly there’s some humor and funny lines here (“Grampa’s what?” perhaps having cracked me up the most) – but more due to the two brother characters.

Back in 2003, there was a horror film more oriented for a younger audience called Fear of the Dark, and in it, two brothers, one older, one a decent amount younger, never got along, but had to pull together to get through their situation. And it’s the same here – these brothers care for each other, but both being stubborn (well, and young men), they can’t admit that until they have to work together for their lives.

It’s due to that relationship – and also their relationship with their father, who is a character with pros and cons – that gives this film just a bit more feeling, even with much of it is the standard type of stuff you’d typically see in any dime-a-dozen Syfy film (though I will say, the special effects do seem decent here as opposed to many of those atrocities).

Eddie McClintock (the father and a police officer) is best-known for his starring role in Sci-Fi’s Warehouse 13, which is a series I’ve heard about, but never cared to watch (which is pretty much my history with most Sci-Fi series). He’s a decent character, and he does have some solid scenes (such as bringing home his kids chicken, and playing some video game casually), but he’s a bit too light-hearted at times when he probably shouldn’t be. He does get better, and I think becomes decently fleshed-out by the ending, but there you go.

Playing McClintock’s partner is Amy Bailey, and I rather like what little we know of her character. She’s pretty, sure, but she also gives a pretty strong performance. And speaking of strong performances, the two brothers, played by Danny Horn and Gabriel Steel (in his sole role), did a good job, and much like the brothers in Fear of the Dark, I bought their relationship.

Now, the story itself isn’t really great, dealing with some Biblical stuff that I, obviously, couldn’t care less about. The kills aren’t really that great either, but there are some subtly creepy scenes every now and again. What I think helps Boogeyman out the most is the characters, though.

This isn’t likely to become anyone’s favorite movie, nor is it really particularly memorable (though I would wager that it’s a better film than the 2005 Boogeyman), but it’s an okay slice of fun, and isn’t that all that matters?

7.5/10