Stories of the so-called “boogeyman” have crept their way into our favorite horror tales as old as time. A manifestation of pure evil, creeping along the edges of any lingering shadows it can latch onto. In the Halloween (1978-2022) franchise, it was a symbol for just that. And in this latest Stephen King adaptation, it becomes synonymous with the horror of grappling with grief. It succeeds… somewhat.

Based on King’s short story found within the larger 1978 collection The Night Shift, The Boogeyman follows a family in the aftermath of their mother’s death. After a mysterious, dangerous man (David Dastmalchian) shows up at their doorstep, begging therapist Will (Chris Messina) for help, the Harper household begins to experience a strange series of supernatural events. Sadie (Sophie Thatcher) and her younger sister Sawyer (Vivien Lyra Blair) try to get their father to believe the horrors they see before it tears them apart for good.

The past few years have been an especially exciting time for horror fans, with new directors pushing the envelope of what the genre can accomplish — while being insanely profitable along the way. Unfortunately, The Boogeyman seems to play to just about every cliche in the horror playbook without offering much new. A horror movie about the pain of losing a loved one? Where does the monster symbolize what the grieving characters have to face head-on before being able to move on? And adults in the film’s universe, not believing the unbelievable horror that the kids face, stacking the odds against them even more? It’s almost like we’ve seen this before. Many times, in fact. And it’s getting a little old.

That’s not to say that there isn’t anything worthwhile here. As the protagonist, Thatcher gives a commendable performance communicating what it’s like to work through the pain of losing a mother — oftentimes just through a painful look or glance. And although Dastmalchian’s role as Lester is quite brief at the beginning of the film, he leaves a lasting impression that sets a firmly dangerous tone for everything that comes next. We will never forget his screen presence.

Director Rob Savage also helps to elevate the material at hand with some clever, twisted camerawork, adding a crucial air of uncertainty to many frightening sequences. For a PG-13 horror film, the jump scares aren’t half-bad, with some genuinely creepy moments found throughout.

Probably the best thing going for the film’s visual look is the lighting and how Savage carefully plays with shadows and the lingering evil within (similar to 2016’s Lights Out). This is also where the clever creature design comes into play. Some of the most eerie images are when we simply see the monster’s eyes popping out from the darkness, preying upon its next victim from a distance. Less is more here. Since we don’t see the full monster unleashed until the third act, that makes it all the more unsettling when we finally do.

It’s such a shame, then, to see a film with such strong potential ultimately fall flat due to its half-baked and predictable themes. Especially with the absent father dynamic that Savage tries to set up with Will struggling to be there for his kids, any emotional impact feels sorely absent by the forced ending.

Sure, this mediocre and largely unremarkable horror film has its redeeming qualities. If you’re really itching to experience a fright in theaters, it’s not a bad bet. It’s entertaining enough to keep you on your toes for a few hours but not enough to instill a real sense of dread after you leave the theater.

In a sea of countless King adaptations, it seems inevitable that The Boogeyman will be washed ashore, only occasionally remembered and talked about in the years after its lukewarm release.

Review Courtesy of Matt Minton

Feature image via 20th Century Studios