Review of Mama (2013) by Joe S — 19 Oct 2013

This Spanish-Canadian horror film is based upon director Andrés Muschiett's short film that garnered interest from executive producer Guillermo del Toro and turned into this feature. After a suicidal businessman attempts to kill his 2 daughters in a wooded cabin, they are saved by a mysterious figure and after 5 years in the wilderness are later found by their uncle Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) who subsequently wins custody of the now feral children.

Crawling on all fours and interviewed by a child psychologist, the kids communicate with an imaginary maternal guardian they call "Mama" but after some strange goings on in their new home, Lucas's girlfriend Annabel (an unrecognisable emo-looking Jessica Chastain) begins to suspect there's more to the girls' story than first thought.

With every horror-trope 'borrowed' from other films, I still found the film a grounded and fresh take on the genre with interesting characters, natural motivations (a must in horrors for me) and some weird special effects that ratcheted up the scares and tension.

Chastain was great and the two animal-like children provided some genuine jolts and anxiety. No awards will be given for originality but Mama is the best American horror for years and only a CGI-heavy conclusion stopped the film garnering a higher rating.

Mama, I Love you. 8/10 Midlands Movies Mike.