Review of Mama (2013) by Kim M — 01 Sep 2013

Mama was a bit different and it delivered some genuinely creepy moments as well as some few scares. It managed to make me care about nearly all the characters including "Mama". And, it maintained a good pace through out, continuing to draw you in right up until it delivered a great ending.

Some of the effects were really interesting, spooky effects using a nice blend of cgi and more traditional techniques. Mama was revealed slowly enough to build anticipation and then with satisfying detail without the effects being overused or becoming cartoonish.

The children were particularly well cast and delivered great performances enabling the viewer to feel the movie through their very different perspectives as they tried to adjust to normal life after being isolated for 5 years with only an unpredictable, emotional entity to help them survive.

The end was by no means predictable and somehow felt right despite the initial discomfort. Overall, a nice, simple horror movie with above average story, characters and production. Guillermo del Toro is one of a few directors in modern horror that can deliver fully on the intensity and special effects demanded by modern audiences without forgetting the art of story telling and character development.