Reel Horror

Boogeyman (Special Edition) asin: B00080ZG24

Directed by: Stephan T. Kay

What’s lurking in the closet? The Boogeyman, the basic premise for all horror films since the 1977 classic Halloween. Boogeyman produced by Sam Raimi and Ghost House Pictures, which recently produced The Grudge, delves into the darkest recesses of the monster under your bed saga. As a rule, any film released in January or February doesn't have much hope. But releasing them could be great suprise if the movie makes a profit.

The films starts out with a young Tim Jensen, maybe 8 years old trying to
go to sleep but is scared beyond belief about the creature lurking in the shadows. Their are the cliche of branches causing long creepy shadows on the wall, shapes in the dark and lots and lots of stuff hanging on the ceiling, like a crow for instance. The opening maybe the best part of the film, the young Tim sees what he thinks is the robe on his chair rise up and approach him. He quickly turns the lights on and the robe falls to the ground. What could have done that? Tim quickly rummages through his room and hides anything that might cause him harm. Tim's father walks into his room and tries to calm him down. He reassures Tim that he is safe. Tim’s father opens the door and as you guessed it Tim's father is sucked into the abyss of the closet forever. Thus beginning Tim’s anti-social behavior towards any and all closets. In typical horror fashion the move skips many years in to the future where Tim (Barry Watson) is now a grown man.

All evil must be dealt with and like in most horror films Tim’s family has been also troubled by the “disappearance” of his father. Conveniently, Tim is supposed to spend quality time with his girlfriend Katie (Robyn Malcolm) at her Wasp country club looking house to do the whole family meet and greet. Upon getting the third degree from Katie’s family Tim feels something is amiss. Tim falls asleep and is startled by his mother's ghost warning him to go home or eat his sprouts or something.

Tim’s mother (Lucy lawless) has died and Tim must go home for the funeral
;eaving Katie behind. Uncle Mike has been remodeling the house but it really looks like no one has taken care of the house for years. The house is on a countryside that may or may not be the Pennsylvania countryside. And what's worse is it seems the house creaks more than a wooden submarine dropping to the bottom of the sea. The audio special effects I felt were completely overdone. Everything in the house made an eerie noise. I get it “the Boogeyman” is here. OHHHHH! Tim has a brief encounter with an old friend Kate (Emily Deschanal) who knew of Tim’s fear of closets. If she was a real friend she should have suggested hooks for the wall but who am I to say. Kate and Tim have a nice moment to reminisce and than night falls and evil is sure to follow. Tim throws trash away and hears a noise and it leads him to the back shed. Upon entering he sees a little girl Franny (Skye McCole Bartusiak) who has a lot of knowledge on the Boogeyman, who is she? Why is she here? Later the girlfriend Katie comes to Tim’s childhood home for some reason probably for a quickie but their plans are dashed. Tim and Katie make a quick exit from the haunted house and stay in basically the Bates motel. But there too the plans are dashed. Katie disappears and now Tim must figure out how to finish off the boogeyman. Now, Tim knows and has seen the Boogeyman but of course no one believes him... why? Is he a pathological liar, is there a history of lying. No! Than why would people not take him at his word. Tim’s not disturbed it’s the audience member wondering what the hell the people are thinking.

The most interesting scenes in the film have mostly to do with the closet time bending, Tim enters the closet to face the Boogeyman and its him from place to place and he must figure out how to change or stop the Boogeyman. Did I mention the Monster is nearly all cg, so he’s even less scary. I’m not going to give you the ending but if you’ve seen any horror film in the last 30 years I’m sure you’ll now how to figure out if he survives or not. The movie is packed with tones of lurking shadows, creeping noises and figures moving across the screen with sound effects borrowed straight out of Halloween. It’s a basic horror movie but the only thing that is scarier coming out of the closet is Rip Taylor in drag. I give it a 2 out of five.