Movie Review: Better Watch Out

Better Watch Out *** ½ / *****

Directed by: Chris Peckover.

Written by: Zack Kahn and Chris Peckover.

Starring: Olivia DeJonge (Ashley), Levi Miller (Luke), Ed Oxenbould (Garrett), Dacre Montgomery (Jeremy), Aleks Mikic (Ricky), Virginia Madsen (Deandra), Patrick Warburton (Robert),

 

Here’s a nasty little Christmas themed horror movie for those of you out there who prefer to undercut the whole holiday season with films like Bad Santa, Black Christmas or White Reindeer (among others). It’s about a 12-year old psychopath, and the night of torture he puts his 17 year old babysitter through – but it remains fun throughout its runtime, never quite crossing the line into what would amount to torture porn or get into the really uncomfortable position of making the audience voyeurs into a blonde teenagers torment. The film walks the razor wire between those things, and mainly stays on the right side – making this one of the best “fun” horror films of the year.

 

The film is about Ashley (Olivia DeJonge), a 17 year old babysitter who is going to babysit one of her regulars – Luke (Levi Miller) – a 12 year old, so his parents can go to a Christmas party. Luke is right about that age when maybe he shouldn’t have a babysitter at all – and quite clearly has a huge crush on Ashley. He and his friend Garrett (Ed Oxenbould) hatch a plan to scare Ashley – in the hopes that she’ll find comfort in Luke’s arms. At least that’s what Luke tells Garrett they’ll be doing – but it is one of many deceptions Luke, who reveals himself to be a little psychopath fairly early in the proceedings, has up his sleeve. To say more would be to spoil the fun.

 

The film works as a kind of demented twin to Home Alone, crossed with all those home invasion horror movies you’ve seen – and it never quite goes the way you expect it to. The film keeps you on your toes, and it twists and turns, and goes to unexpected places – revealing in over-the-top bloodshed, and buoyed by the performances of the young cast, who are clearly having fun. The film isn’t overly scary – to be fair, it isn’t really trying to be, but is mainly content to be a twisty, turny film that just wants to be nasty fun. It doesn’t do anything revolutionary, but for what it is, it’s really impossible to complain about it. Co-writer/director Chris Peckover is clearly having a blast –and if you’re a fan of this genre, you will to. Little else needs to – or can be – said about this film – just watch it.