Review of Under the Bed (2012) by Joe A — 14 Aug 2013

Director Steven C. Miller's horror about two brothers (Jonny Weston and Gattlin Griffith) literally battling a monster beneath the bed, had some potential but, is sunk by a really badly written script by Eric Stolze and some terrible acting by Terry Hausman and Musetta Vander as the boys dad and step-mom.

That and the fact that nothing really happens in this plot hole ridden film until the last 10 minutes and despite a cool creature and some good gore, the fact that the story doesn't seem to be following any sort of constructive narrative keeps it from being the least bit suspenseful or scary.

What is going on and why? The creature seems to follow no real detectable pattern of behavior and it's actions are constantly contradictory. A perfect example is that it scares step-mom, Angela (Vander) in the garage and then again later for no apparent reason as it's biggest advantage is that the parents don't believe in it so, why reveal itself to the parents when the kids seem to be what it wants to begin with.

We are never given a reason for it's existence or it's targeting of the brothers and the resolution of the conflict is simply befuddling. If there was some sort of message or metaphor here, the filmmakers botched it.

Too bad, the kids perform very convincing and with a better script, tighter direction and better actors as the adults, this might have been something at least somewhat entertaining.