Review of Mama (2013) by Mike D — 27 Jul 2013

Although he's only credited as a producer, Guillermo del Toro's influence is felt throughout much of the low budget, high grossing horror film 'Mama.' The premise is pretty standard - two young girls who were kidnapped by their father end up abandoned in a rundown shack in the woods, left to be raised by the ghost of a tormented motherly figure.

Enter the girls' uncle (played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau of 'Game of Thrones' fame) and his rocker chick girlfriend (Jessica Chastain) who step in to raise the girls after they're found five years later, having reverted to primal beings.

When creepy things start to happen around the house, and an accident leaves Chastain's character to care for the girls on her own. The majority of the film focuses on the dynamic between the mother/daughter dynamic, and the tug of war with "Mama," who finds a way to follow the girls to their new home, which is an interesting focal point for the plot.

The shortcomings of the film lie in the cheap scares and the actual reveal of "Mama" herself - this is where del Toro's influence is seen most clearly, as the CGI is pretty cartoonish and fake looking.

This takes away a lot of the scariness factor, which is the whole point of a horror film. Despite the potential it had to be a solid movie, 'Mama' is just one of those middle of the road efforts that will eventually fade from cinematic memory.