Boogeyman (2005)

Director: Stephen Kay

Starring: Barry Watson, Emily Deschanel, Lucy Lawless

A young man tries to deal with the childhood terror that has never stopped haunting him.

‘Boogeyman’ is a unique horror film that also serves as an interesting mystery thriller. The film cleverly utilizes children’s fears of the dark and closets in particular to craft an effective, suspenseful movie.

Jump scares hurl at you unexpectedly and they are highly effective. There are some creepy as hell moments here. Barry Watson is good as Tim, the film’s protagonist, whose back story plays a pivotal role in the film’s credibility. The acting in general was very good, and the film features fantastic visuals.

The film delves much deeper than is presented on the surface. I actually didn’t expect ‘Boogeyman’ to be this good. The film is also about fighting one’s inner demons, and a lot here is to be interpreted figuratively. (Unfortunately not everyone watching ‘Boogeyman’ understands this.) The Boogeyman feeds of your fears, hence parents always tell kids the boogeyman will get them when they’re naughty. The phrase ‘there are no such things as monsters’ takes on a different meaning. Definitely don’t show this to kids!

The final act is about facing your fears head-on (again, not necessarily in a literal sense). The final moments are packed with suspense and amazing visuals. I loved this.

‘Boogeyman’ earned $67 million on a $20 million budget.

Would I watch it again? Yes.