Review of Mama (2013) by Bryan C — 26 Nov 2013

Monday, November 25, 2013.

(2013) Mama.

HORROR.

I just want to say that Jessica Chastain's acting is much better in this one than she was in "Zero Dark Thirty" which is the type of movie the Academy would surely go for. Co-written and directed by Andrés Muschietti has a pair of little sisters of Victoria and Lilly becoming isolated in a creepy cabin in the woods after a scary looking figure saved them from their psychotic father who was bent on killing them after a killing spree in the city involving his wife and co-workers before crashing his car onto a ditch while driving away on a highway. I mean gee, if a search party is being instructed, one would've thought that someone could probably find a cabin, but no- that is not the case as they were not discovered until a couple of hunters stumbled onto it 5 years later. Meanwhile, the killer's easy going brother Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau)fights for custody of them and wins but has to agree on specific conditions by allowing the doctor to come often and check on them. As the two sisters act abnormal toward something unusual to something no one don't see except to it Mama hence the title. This creature would act similar to how the creature from "The Grudge" would act where at first the two girls would imitate how this creature would move around by also using their hands as feet. This is the beginning of irregular things to happened as police are hardly involved into a thorough search of the cabin where they happen to be found. As well as the Jessica Chastain character doesn't call the police to check the so-called closet, one would often wonder how a person can remain to be hidden for such a long time. And I agree with users that the ending is ludicrous but not completely all that sad but some of the scares still work. Some of the affectionate scenes are poorly done but Chastain holds this film together.

2.5 out of 4 stars.