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Mama is the
feature film debut for director Andres
Muschietti who has big name director and horror fan Guilmero Del Torro
(Pans
Labyrinth) as his executive producer on the project. The films story
follows
two young girls (Megan Charpentier and Isabelle Nelisse) who are left
stranded
in the forest after their fathers post financial crisis psychotic
breakdown in
2008. Five years later, the girls are found in the cabin by passing
hunters and
returned to the custody of their Uncle (Nikolaj Coster) and his
girlfriend
(Jessica Chastain). It is not long before the audience finds out that
the girls
did not come back from the woods alone.
Mama was shot
for a very modest budget of $15
million. With a low budget film still achieving the number #1 opening
weekend
slot and a domestic gross of nearly $80 million, you can almost
guarantee the
will be more films of this type on the way.
While it can be great to see a good story have continual
development, in
Mama’s case it would be better if
this stayed as a singular title. The film is ended neatly but perhaps
not the
way people may think. Throughout the film Mama
actually has some things to separate it from other horror
films of the
genre. General lack of gore and more of a directorial push towards
suspense is
a refreshing change from the feeble-minded slasher remakes that are
slicing
through the cinema of late. The special
effects are second to the story and the cinematography is dark and
looks
fantastic in widescreen.
Mama is not
totally devoid of clichés and hiccups though either. Chastain is
straight away
unbelievable as a punk rocking base player. Editing at times is a
little over
the top. Upon returning from the forest to civilization, the girls are
edited
to move like quick feral creatures. As much as this can be effective,
it can
also distract from the type of realism that this film tries to achieve.
Dream
sequences and a slightly crammed second half add to some viewer
confusion.
These are minor grievances for a film that is still directed with
strong
intention and above average horror filmmaking flare.
Fans
of Del Torro
will see why he is backing this film and will get something out of it.
Defiantly standing above other films of this genre we have seen
recently,
horror fans should also get along to the cinema to check it out. Mama would have benefited from more
genuine scares and less editing to try and trick us into being
frightened. What
is on display though is at times chilling and very well made for a
feature
debut. Not afraid to be different in its approach, the film also ticks
many
boxes horror fans are ready to scrutinize films for. Those that like a
little
fright with their popcorn should get along to watch it before Hollywood
does a Mama/Saw crossover film starring Tara
Reid and Martin Lawrence.
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