B Movies Blog

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping Rob Savage’s The Boogeyman into the ol’ VCR. 

Everyone has their Stephen King book. You know what I mean. It’s the one Stephen King novel or collection that sticks with you. It’ll randomly pop into your mind and give you the chills. For me, it’s Night Shift. I read it as a teenager, and it’s stuck with me ever since. 

Needless to say, I was nervous about The Boogeyman because this story was one that really bothered me. Friends, I am happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised. And, with the exception of one cheesy scene at the end, I think we have a winner. 

I think The Boogeyman works because it isn’t a direct adaptation, nor does it try to stray too far from the source material. The struggle with bringing Stephen King to film is real. I’ve seen really good adaptations, and I’ve seen some real stinkers. 

You see, Doc, when I was a young boy, my father took me into the city. 

The genius of The Boogeyman is that it uses the short story as a catalyst and then expands upon the source material. This might be the exact reason critics will source for hating it, but for me, it worked. 

As a card-carrying member of the Dead Mom Club, I felt Sadie’s (Sophie Thatcher) plight. I’m fortunate to have the most supportive friends a girl could possibly ask for, but friends of my grandmother/people I’m not close to sure did take some liberties on what they thought was appropriate to say. 

Additionally, I loved the parallels to grief. The boogeyman initially manifests as the shadow figure you see out of the corner of your eye and slowly reveals itself until we start to see the monster as it is. Grief creeps up on you when you least expect it, as does the boogeyman. Grief is also fed through denial. 

The Boulet Brothers discussed The Boogeyman with David Dastmalchian on their most recent episode of Creatures of the Night and said the movie doesn’t feel like PG-13 horror, and I highly agree. It feels more like The Skeleton Key where it could easily be R, but they avoided language and sex to cast the net for a wider audience. One scene in particular even had my friend Brooke and I squirming a bit, and we’re horror pros. 

Pictured: Chris Messina looking at his agent after realizing how much content he was booked for this year. 

Now, there is one cheesy scene in the last 10-15 minutes, and it briefly took me out of the movie. I understand that in grief, you search for signs that don’t seem to exist, and I think it would’ve been more powerful to have left something up to interpretation. Once you watch it, you’ll see what I mean. 

Overall, I think The Boogeyman is a strong film, and if you’re a fan of The Babadook, It Follows, and/or Smile, you’ll really dig it. Also, keep your eyes peeled for a delightful reference/ connection to another Rob Savage film. 

So, dear readers, go forth and watch Rob Savage’s latest. Just leave some lights on for when you get back.