Featured Audience Ratings

• JY S

  
  Andres Muschietti's <i>Mama</i> brings the creepy into the mother daughter relationship.<p>On the topic of story, it plays out like any suspense-horror should, but the 95 minutes of screen time does have its moments. The usage of jump scares is existent, but… More
  Andres Muschietti's <i>Mama</i> brings the creepy into the mother daughter relationship.<p>On the topic of story, it plays out like any suspense-horror should, but the 95 minutes of screen time does have its moments. The usage of jump scares is existent, but minimal as the film relies more on its atmosphere, tone, and characters to raise the suspense level.</p><p>The CG may not be the greatest, but the look of the Mama character has a disturbing and creepy aura around it that works well with what this picture is going for.</p><p>Jessica Chastain is amusing early, but ends up with a bit of a cliched character by the end. Megan Charpentier and Isabelle Nelisse do excellent jobs as the two young girls of the story.</p><p><i>Mama</i> comes across as a typical thriller; however, it has enough to be a recommendable film.</p>

• Mark W

  
  After producing the disappointing "Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark" in 2011, Guillermo del Toro lends his name - and financial services - to another American horror production, which is actually an elaboration of the 2008, three minute short, "Mamá" by the same… More
  After producing the disappointing "Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark" in 2011, Guillermo del Toro lends his name - and financial services - to another American horror production, which is actually an elaboration of the 2008, three minute short, "Mamá" by the same Argentine director Andrés Muschietti. For the most part, del Toro has wisely chosen a director to invest in, but like so many before him, he fails to deliver the ultimate punch that's so important in this particular genre. A father (Coster-Waldau), seemingly in a state of desperation abducts his two young daughters and flees with them to a remote cabin in the woods. His intention is to kill them but before he does, a dark entity interjects and kills him instead. For years afterwards, the father's twin brother (Coster-Waldau again) searches for his nieces and eventually finds them. They have went feral and claim to have been looked after by something they refer to as "Mama". However, when they head back to civilisation, "Mama" has no intentions of leaving them alone. Let me just start by saying that "Mama" is a very frustrating movie. When I say frustrating, I don't mean bad, as this film can't quite be labeled as such. It has many things to recommend it; the deliberate pace; the teasing build up; freaky children; the spectre only hinted at or briefly glimpsed. Director Andrés Muschietti (or Andy as he's credited) certainly knows how to build tension and raise the goosebumps. He does it so commandingly and assembles two impressive lead actors that are at the forefront of everyone's minds at present; the ubiquitous, two-time Academy Award nominee Jessica Chastian and rising "Games Of Thrones" star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau - not to mention two excellent child actors in Megan Charpentier and Isabelle Nélisse, but (forgive me if I'm mistaken here) is the role of executive producer not to produce, or oversee, the financial side of a film, allowing a director to fully express their vision and help with the distribution of the product? If that's the case, then Guillermo del Toro can certainly be seen to have done his side of the bargain on the latter half, as this has reached quite an impressive audience, but on the the former he has to come under scrutiny. When this film is forced into delivering the visuals, they seem cheap and really not up to the standard that a more sophisticated audience are accustomed to. The finale is delivered in such a way that it strips the whole film of the good work that went before. Namely, revealing the spectre too much and too soon. When will filmmakers - particularly those in the horror genre - learn, that less is more? It's not necessary for us to witness the antagonist in full view and allow our minds to be force fed, when it worked so much better when we were kept in the dark. In fairness, it's a poorly written denouement that still falls at the feet of director Muschietti , who co-writes with Neil Cross and sister Barbara Muschietti. They construct a brilliant horror concept with an effective, mother/daughter emotional core, but are simply unable to bring it to any satisfying conclusion. That's exactly where the frustration lies; this film had so much going for it, that it leaves you in disbelief that it's all squandered in contrivances and poor CGI, which ultimately leaves you with the overriding feeling that not all short film's have the ability or mileage for a feature length endeavour. For the most part, this is a very effective and engaging modern horror but like so many from recent times, it fails to deliver when it really matters. Here's some advice from your "Dada"... expect less and you'll receive more.

• Sam B

  
  "Mama" tries to be more than a generic horror movie by mixing in mother-daughter themes, but this unique twist can't make up for the film's awful CGI and its goofy ending, both of which kill any actual scariness the movie tries to muster.

• MisterYoda ?

  
  two stars

• Josh L

  
  Mama is a unique entry in a genre that has started to become stagnant and all about the gore and deserves praise for sticking to its guns. That said, it isn't particularly scary after the initial set-up and enters more into fantasy territory than horror by the end. They make the… More
  Mama is a unique entry in a genre that has started to become stagnant and all about the gore and deserves praise for sticking to its guns. That said, it isn't particularly scary after the initial set-up and enters more into fantasy territory than horror by the end. They make the cardinal horror sin of showing the creature too much. It makes it less scary and intriguing when you know why something is happening and what it looks like. The best horror movies keep these things secret at least until the end, but Mama does it long before that. I will say the acting is rather good, especially Jessica Chastain and the kids who don't make you cringe (my determining factor of whether a child actor is effective). The film has great atmosphere & visuals clearly influenced by executive producer Guillermo Del Toro. I really enjoyed those aspects of the film. The film never lost my interest either, despite overuse of boo! moments and a lack of scares. It just didn't mesh the fantasy and horror as well as other Del Toro films have. It's still worth a look for horror aficionados, but everyone else can probably skip it.

• Carlos M

  
  It is frustrating to see an efficient short movie adapted into such a weak and problematic feature film that, despite some creepy moments and good visual effects, is sadly bogged down by a pile of cheap scares, clichés and inconsistencies.

• Emil K

  
  So here is another cliched and dumb Guillermo Del Toro produced horror-fantasy that turns out to be something very disappointing and unimagintave. I myself have never liked that much of Del Toro's films or the ones he has produced. Mimic is by far Del Toro's most… More
  So here is another cliched and dumb Guillermo Del Toro produced horror-fantasy that turns out to be something very disappointing and unimagintave. I myself have never liked that much of Del Toro's films or the ones he has produced. Mimic is by far Del Toro's most interesting work to date and while it does has it's flaws it still has imagination and originality in it that he has never again matched since then. Same cannot be said Del Toro's overrated Pan's Labyrinth which is still too polished for it's own good and resembles like a Tim Burton at his most corniest and weakest. But while Del Toro was a producer for this feature film directed by Andres Muschetti it is still Muschietti's flaw mostly to rely on heavy CGI which is quite honestly extremely ridicilous at some points. There are some moments of geniune eeriness, but mostly this is just one of those familiar scary films that cheaply uses loud noises way too many times to gain shocks from the audience. Mama includes the first truly average performance from Jessica Chastain, but with a screenplay this weak there is not a much for here to do here so the blame is not her's entirely. Kids are typically lifeless and very one dimensions as are most of the sidecharacters. Muschietti throws in many pointless sideplots and has cooked up an extremely unsatisying climax which does not bother to explain anything. It is a classic case of a story that has too much ambition for it's own good. Overall there is nothing interesting or fresh enough here to actually recommend this film. I found it hollow, lifeless and without true moments of horror in it. It is like any other below average horror-films that gets released these days. If you are looking for a well made horror-fantasy then you will not find it here. This is a lame debut from Muschietti who hopefully delivers better film next time. However this film does not certainly promise him a bright future in a horror-genre.

• Stuart B

  
  It's ok, just not that scary

• Jan Marc M

  
  Revolting and jolting, Mama (2013, USA) delivers real modern suspense and horror to those who believe (and not believe).

• Mark B

  
  A creepy and mostly original ghost story. Jennifer Chastain is excellent as the goth and reluctant surrogate mother ... a nice change from the suburban mom that is more typical for these character types. The youngest actress who plays "Lily" does a great job juxtaposing cute… More
  A creepy and mostly original ghost story. Jennifer Chastain is excellent as the goth and reluctant surrogate mother ... a nice change from the suburban mom that is more typical for these character types. The youngest actress who plays "Lily" does a great job juxtaposing cute and creepy as the most screwed up "wildling." You can clearly see Guillermo Del Toro's influence given his obsession with bugs. There is too much use of "The Grudge's" groaning sound effect -- someone needs to come up with a new and more original sound. When they eventually show "Mama" in all her glory it starts looking a bit cheesy. But of the three similar titles put out in the last six months (Sinister, The Possession), this is the best of the lot.

• Tired of P

  
  There once was a girl named Kate One day she decided to tempt fate A horror film lay ahead Something she would usually dread. The picture started Heart began to race Palms turned sweaty But she knew she was in the ready. A story unfolded with little surprise… More
  There once was a girl named Kate One day she decided to tempt fate A horror film lay ahead Something she would usually dread. The picture started Heart began to race Palms turned sweaty But she knew she was in the ready. A story unfolded with little surprise Hopes of good began to disappear No matter which direction it took Disingenuous it felt and had no hook. Lead by a female of great skill Not even her masks could thrill. A woman who is content to be childless Becomes the heroine to the lost Two little girls like to draw and squat While the males served little purpose to the plot. A ghostly mother who never forgets Cannot forgive but protects Living in walls and dreams Emotions bent out of shape The mother could not escape. No matter how she rose, twisted or turned Or how idiotic the story burned Mama could not be feared. Alas, for this gal, the tale would soon end Because laughter became her friend Del Toro had a good thought But truth be told the director did not. Happy is the day when the lights brightened For now the tale of MAMA can be forgotten. Review: 4 out of 10

• KJ P

  
  Great horror films are hard to pull off nowadays, and this film is not in any way great, but I mildly enjoyed some of the weirdness of it, and the visuals weren't half bad either. This story is about two girls suffering the aftermath of their mothers death. Some ghostly figure… More
  Great horror films are hard to pull off nowadays, and this film is not in any way great, but I mildly enjoyed some of the weirdness of it, and the visuals weren't half bad either. This story is about two girls suffering the aftermath of their mothers death. Some ghostly figure still linger around them in hopes to become their "new Mama." It is a very strange tale that literally starts off with a title screen that says "Once upon a time." It feels like two separate films when you are watching it, due to the fact that the girls' lives are much different from their aunt and uncle who become their legal guardians. "Mama" is filled with jump scares that sometimes work and sometimes made me laugh, but the story was good enough to hold it together. It's a one and done movie, but it's not a bad one!

• EightThirty .

  
  01/02/2013 (Online)

• Devon B

  
  "Mama", based on a short by the same name, takes a simple 3-minute premise and expands it to feature length. First time director Andrés Muschietti doesn't content himself with the cheap scares that so often inhabit the PG 13 horror movie, and instead attempts an… More
  "Mama", based on a short by the same name, takes a simple 3-minute premise and expands it to feature length. First time director Andrés Muschietti doesn't content himself with the cheap scares that so often inhabit the PG 13 horror movie, and instead attempts an unsettling atmospheric creepiness, which for most of the movie, he succeeds at. A father does some very bad things and leaves his daughters in a cabin in the woods. There they are protected by a spirit creature they call "mama". When their uncle tracks them down and brings them home to live with him and his girlfriend (Jessica Chastain), they find the spirit has come along too. Mama has a creepy, unsettling vibe that is reminiscent of a movie like "The Ring", or another Guillermo del Toro produced film, "The Orphanage", but where those movies maintained a bit of mystery, Mama relies a little to heavily on computer-animated effects, which add a "been there, done that" quality to the film. The twist ending feels a little forced as well. Overall, it's a solid effort, though.

• Jeff "

  
  Guillermo del Toro is a stunning producer in the horror genre, and has helped many directors create something truly intense for horror fans. Director Andres Muschietti delivers one of the better horror films of the year with Mama. Although it has some predictable clichés, the film… More
  Guillermo del Toro is a stunning producer in the horror genre, and has helped many directors create something truly intense for horror fans. Director Andres Muschietti delivers one of the better horror films of the year with Mama. Although it has some predictable clichés, the film manages to be quite entertaining and fun. Jessica Chastain is good here as well, and this is a well crafted ghost tale that despite the fact it is not that original, is far better than a few horror films that have been released(Texas Chainsaw, Hansel and Gretel: Witch hunters). There are some very tense scenes in the film, and it makes for a truly entertaining horror film. The film does have its flaws, like the fact that it has the usual clichés of a typical ghost tale, but that is to be expected. I really don't understand why the film got the flack it received, as it is one of the most entertaining horror films as of yet this year. Where other pictures have failed in delivering a horror tale with an interesting plot, this one succeeds. Along with the cast who deliver some good performances, this is a film worth seeing and is quite frankly underrated. If you love ghost stories, then this is a film to see. Jessica Chastain as usual delivers a good performance, and as an actress she really is assembling quite a resume of good movies. There is a bit of everything in this one to enjoy, and if you love these types of films, then you owe it to yourself to watch it. The directing is good and the cast definitely are able to make a predictable and overdone formula into a worthwhile film, and with that said, it is a very entertaining movie from start to finish. Just go into this one with an open mind, and you're sure to enjoy it. Despite the clichés and its predictability, Mama is a fine little film that is sure to delight horror fans looking for a pleasant ghost tale to watch, and considering the bad horror flicks that have plagued the theater this month; well this is the most fun I've had at the theater. Director Andres Muschietti can create something entertaining using a proven formula.

• E.J. B

  
  Mama unfolds in a rather conventional manner, and while the ending is a bit of a let-down, the film is technically proficient, atmospheric, and scary See my full review at: http://horrorbuffs.net/movie/mama/

• Jason C

  
  At one point, I promised myself that I would never force myself to witness another Guillermo del Torro horror movie. That was shortly after I witnessed his previous abomination, "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark". If you were lucky enough to miss "Don't Be Afraid… More
  At one point, I promised myself that I would never force myself to witness another Guillermo del Torro horror movie. That was shortly after I witnessed his previous abomination, "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark". If you were lucky enough to miss "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark", it was inspired by a 1970's made for T.V. movie, that basically dealt with deranged tooth fairies. Fortunately, I've chosen to repress any further details from that ill-fated trip to the theater in 2010. How could I ever again trust the judgement of Guillermo del Torro after such a wretched performance? Never again, I said. Of course, I don't know why I make such bold claims. One way or another, I convince myself to watch almost every horror movie. Plus, we'd already watched "Django Unchained" and the only other choice was "Gangster Squad". A bad horror movie is better than a bad gangster movie, right? Hmm, I guess I'm not sure about that. Well, at least "Mama" isn't a found-footage movie, the likes of which I absolutely loathe. Luckily, "Mama" is better than Guillermo del Torro's previous abortion, but it still isn't very good. It basically delivers the same pattern as most modern horror movies. It starts off promising, before degenerating into a convoluted mess. The biggest problem with "Mama" is the storytelling. The picture never knows what it wants to be. The characters that aren't entirely pointless, end up spending too much time on the fence. This is most unforgivable when it comes to the movie's antagonist. In a horror movie, or supernatural thriller, or whatever it was del Torro was shooting for here, it just muddies the film when what you're suppose to fear wears a grey hat. Then again if every single character in the film is a "-tweener", eventually you just become indifferent to the whole cast. That's how I felt about halfway through "Mama", I just quit caring, shortly afterwards I was just bored. Guillermo del Torro does deliver some impressive CGI, and when the film's ghost is ambiguous, "Mama" delivers some creepy moments. Unfortunately, the latter portion of the film is not as subtle. Once the shroud is lifted the apparition is far less intimidating and it's given far too much screen time. Before long the visuals just become comical. If I feel like pointing and laughing at something that's suppose to be terrifying, there's obvious problems. Although it wasn't very good, nothing offered was utterly offensive...until the ending. The conclusion is absolutely shameful. I notice this with just about every recent horror movie, writers just can't bring their stories to a satisfying conclusion. It's ridiculous. I guess it's time to brush up on H.P. Lovecraft and start studying Alfred Hitchcock, because quite frankly, they aren't getting the job done. In the end, "Mama" is certainly worth missing. It's also just salt of the earth. With the exception of the erratic characters, you could slap the same review on "Sinister" or any other recent horror movie. They just aren't delivering the goods.

• danny d

  
  really an entertaining film. the way scenes were selected and shot was effective, and the story was engaging enough for a start of the year horror film. chastain was predictably effective in her role, even as it was a bit unusual for what we've seen her do so far. the film… More
  really an entertaining film. the way scenes were selected and shot was effective, and the story was engaging enough for a start of the year horror film. chastain was predictably effective in her role, even as it was a bit unusual for what we've seen her do so far. the film gets lost in the details however, as we have too many unanswered questions throughout, especially a glaring one at the end, and the development of the relationship of annabel to the girls was far too hollow. a decent watch, but not enough to really pull me in.

• Markus R

  
  Remember when you were young and your mom told you that if you didn't treat her well, then she would come back and haunt you from beyond the grave?...No?...Really?! Uhhh, well...directed by Andres Muschietti (NOT GUILLERMO DEL TORO) "Mama" is the newest January horror… More
  Remember when you were young and your mom told you that if you didn't treat her well, then she would come back and haunt you from beyond the grave?...No?...Really?! Uhhh, well...directed by Andres Muschietti (NOT GUILLERMO DEL TORO) "Mama" is the newest January horror release attempting to not massively disappoint a wide array of critics. And while (as far as new age horror films go) I thought "Mama" was for the most part pretty effective and will be giving this movie a recommendation, I am also recommending that (for the most enjoyable experience) one walk out of this movie around 15 minutes before the final credits roll, when this film completely falls apart. There is a storyline here concerning two creepy little girls who are found seemingly alone in the woods (but in fact are being watched over by a jealous ghost named Mama) and are taken in by their estranged uncle and his hard rock, tattooed girlfriend (played by Jessica Chastain) but truthfully the more you pay attention to the quite sappy and overcomplicated plot, the more distracted (much like in last year's "The Woman in Black") you will be from the real star of "Mama", the scares themselves. In fact the parts that don't work here are the awkwardly clunky exposition and (as I alluded to before) the final 15 minutes when "Mama" becomes once again back-story motivated, with an inexplicably nonsensical and Disney-esque "the ghost must learn her lesson too" ending. And nobody wants to see that. In fact, most of the time the scariest things about some of the great horror movie monsters stem from their unexplained motives; a la, the less we (the audience) knows about the monster, other than it wants to kill and deliver scares, the scarier the movie becomes. Therefore, the back-story behind Mama being a sort of Caucasian version of "La Llorona" would have worked immensely well on scares alone, if not for a need by these filmmakers (Muschietti and writer Neil Cross) to give an overly dramatic character explanation, humanizing the monster and taking all of the wind out of Mama's sails. What does work in this movie's favor are the horror genre visuals which make up a large portion of the middle chunk of this film. OK, so while some of the scares may seem cheap, the Mama "monster" is pretty damn scary. Furthermore, what initially may seem like cheap scares, quickly turn into cheap yet effective scares throughout (clearly exceeding the classic 6 scare minimum). There are even a few rather well constructed horror genre directorial choices that while won't be classified as scares, will be seen as rather creepy moments. As for Chastain playing the rocker chick/girlfriend/adopted mother in all of this (with her Misfit's t-shirt, black nail polish and her many, many bracelets) she gives a performance that while isn't a cinematic nose dive (the likes of Natalie Portman going from "Black Swan" to "Your Highness") it is one that can only be described as pretty much that of zero substance. Which is to say, she's not bad, nor is she good; she is more so wasted in a rocker chick role which will undoubtedly be forgotten in the years to come. Final Thought: All in all, if you are looking to see a horror (or date) movie that does deliver in the visual scares department and are willing to ignore the annoyingly distracting storyline, then "Mama" may be the movie for you. But if I said it once, I'll say it a million times, if you choose not to walk out of this movie 15 minutes before it's over, then don't come crying to me. I warned you. Written by Markus Robinson, Edited by Nicole I. Ashland Follow me on Twitter @moviesmarkus

• Nate Z

  
  Guillermo del Toro is no stranger to the things that go bump in the night. He helped shepherd the horror film Mama to the big screen, and his love of heavy atmosphere and creepy, agile, lithe figures of terror is still evident. This is a rather effective and very creepy little horror… More
  Guillermo del Toro is no stranger to the things that go bump in the night. He helped shepherd the horror film Mama to the big screen, and his love of heavy atmosphere and creepy, agile, lithe figures of terror is still evident. This is a rather effective and very creepy little horror movie that has enough little scares, big screams, and plain skin-crawling moments to recommend. The plot involves two little girls left to fend for themselves out in the wilderness. The two young actresses are fantastic, with terrific physical command of their bodies, able to slink and hop around like feral beasts. They help emotionally ground what could have been an otherwise ordinary ghost story. Oh yes, the girls prayed to a protector known as "Mama" who happens to be a malevolent and jealous spirit. Pity Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty), not just for her Gothic haircut and heavy eyeliner, but also as the girl's reluctant foster mom. I'm shocked at how disturbing it is to watch a highly articulated physical specimen bend and snap and scurry at odd angles, broken arms bouncing like insect mandibles. And director/co-writer Andrés Muschietti knows how to properly tease an audience with just enough show and tell. The end is rather rote and familiar but, due to the emotional connection, has moments of genuine poignancy. Credit the considerable talents of the little ones as well as the devious vision of Muschetti and the guiding hand of del Toro. Give Mama a look. Nate's Grade: B

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