Mama

15, 2013, Directed by Andres Muschietti 
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Megan Charpentier, Daniel Kash  

With a range of impressive treats under his belt, Guillermo Del Toro is a more-than-welcome name attached to the production of films. Director of Pan's Labyrinth and the two Hellboy films, as well as producer of chiller The Orphanage, his presence brings with him a visual influence that the Spanish movie man has come to be associated with.

Mama (produced by Del Toro, directed by Andres Muschietti) bears this visual element, an out-and-out chiller and purveyor of the gothic. The film stars actress of the moment Jessica Chastain as Annabel, a black-bobbed rock chick who falls into looking after her boyfriend's nieces following their resurgence after a 5-year disappearance. An unexpectedly early turn of events counts Nikolas Coster-Waldau (of Game of Thrones fame) out of the house action, leaving Annabel to tend for the girls. Naturally, things start making all sorts of noises in the night, and it becomes clear that the children may have not been alone during their absence...and may have been followed back by something that is growing jealous of Annabel.

An opening that upholds promise, we are presented with a scene of context that refuses to hold its cards close to its chest; refreshing in the horror genre. Similarly, the first half - stuffed with enough jumps and chills to convince you Mama may be the real deal - speeds along at full pelt. It's a crying shame that this is where the film peaks. What follows is an Insidious-esque descent into disappointment, sprinkled with only a few genuine scares. Memorable scenes (layered with a hint of comedy that grounds the film with an improbable sense of realism) fail to live up to the first act's set-up, although Chastain does her best in her first horror leading lady turn (no surprise,) even if you feel aware that this film is lower down the food chain of recent film appearances. 

The background story is what saves this from becoming an inescapable plummet. Yet, with an emotive climax that relies far too heavily on CGI to extract the intended reaction is what ironically stunts any emotion you may be feeling. What it builds to is the sense that what you are watching is a squandered opportunity.

Mama, for all of its promise, is not the daddy.

2.5/5