Review of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992) by Wayne K — 25 Dec 2017

A chilling horror film that is all the more effective for the fact that the depicted events can easily occur, and maybe even have, The Hand That Rocks The Cradle may not be the most logically sound experience, but it's a harrowing one nonetheless.

Rebecca De Moray is fantastic as the spiteful babysitter trying to tear apart a happy family. What makes her such a great character is her subversiveness. She doesn't do many things which are blatant until the climax.

For most of the time she uses subtle hints and sly tactics to steadily and methodically undermine her victims. So everything we see her do, big or small, has an ultimate purpose. Many would consider their child being put in harms way to be the worst kind of living nightmare, and The Hand That Rocks The Cradle makes you feel that, and it's nice to see a set of parents in a horror film that actually act sensibly, rather than further endangering their child with stupid decision after stupid decision.

Nothing flashy, nothing supernatural, just a down to Earth horror flick that'll make you think twice before hiring your next babysitter.