It's Safe to Look Under the Bed with SyFy's Boogeyman: A Movie Review

*spoiler alert

Director: Jeffery Scott Lando.

Writer: David Reed.

Cast: Eddie McClintock, Amy Bailey and Christian Hammerdorfer.

SyFy Network must have decided that no tagline is required with a title like the Boogeyman. This latest offering does not really stand out from a line of films that includes a version from Stephen King and Stephen Kay. If one isn’t enough, apparently Kay’s version was interesting enough to spawn two more films.

Just how one amorphous creature managed to spawn into a huge line of unrelated films is as perplexing as this latest incarnation. With what writer David Reed tries to do is to relate the legend of Cain and Abel, Adam and Eve’s first children, into the lore of what kinds of monsters can torment young adults if they do not behave. His tale does not instill the fear of God amongst the masses.

When Sheriff Michael’s (Eddie McClintock) two sons, Isaac (Danny Horn) and Jacob (Gabriel Steele) are roughhousing, playing football, near the old Skinner home, they have unknowingly unleashed a monster. It kills old man Skinner, but for the sleepy town that gets no action, Mike has to find the murderer.

When he discovers that the monster is after one of his boys, the tale does not take off like some viewers would hope. The movie is at least decent in showing how the brothers seem to “get along” in adversity and the chemistry between Horn and Steele is quite good. With the brothers behaving like boys, the usual squabble is quite common, and they at least know when it is time to watch over one another.

Presumably the mother died a long time ago, and the two are not too keen on the idea that their father is dating again. He has the hots for his partner, Officer Rebecca (Amy Bailey) and this subplot slowly unravels itself, when he realizes what she means to the family. Either Mike is married to his work, or just forgetting his responsibilities as a father.

The tale about the Boogeyman coming to get Jacob is nothing but old hat for slasher fans in the know. There is enough of an origin story that mildly satisfies the curious as to why he exists. The creation of the monster, however, is haphazard; the beast's creep factor and actions are too uninterestingly generic and motivated. This movie is not being played up for scares.

As the tale leaps between encounters with this particular night terror with family bonding moments, only one concept will win out. This movie ends up being more of a family drama. To make some kind of god-forsaken pact, however, not even the Devil can score here.

Overall: 4.5 out of 10.

The Boogeyman trailer at SyFy:

Boogeyman at the SyFy Network

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Posted in: 2012,2012 release,horror movie review,movie review,paranormal,syfy,syfy network,television