MAMA(2013)

MAMA(2013)

[3.5/5 Stars]

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. 

Daddy, look! there's a woman outside the window. And she's not touching the floor.

And with this dialogue we are introduced to 'Mama', the ghost of Edith Brennan, a psychologically disturbed mother, who protects the two Desange Sisters from getting murdered by their own father.Keeping in tradition with other Guillermo Del Toro films, Mama, presented by Del Toro, has an eerie aura surrounding it, an aura similar to the one surrounding Mama in the film, which makes it a rather unusual entry into the horror film genre.

Creepily beautiful in a way, as it tries at times to empathize with the ghost, the ghost of a mentally challenged mother who develops an emotional attachment with these girls, and gets "jealous" of anyone who tries to touch them. Victoria, the older of the two 'lost girls' realizes this and tries to make her Uncle(played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, famous for his role as another uncle in GoT, also playing the father here) and her aunt(Jessica Chastain) learn of this, as she is now wary to Mama and how she could be dangerous for her sister Lilly, herself and the rest of the family as well.

The film achieves something rare for horror films, it maintains the pace it began with throughout the length of the film, all while avoiding the cheap scares which begin with sudden appearance of a ghost in other horror films, Mama's appearances throughout the film are predictable and it is in these moments that you are genuinely scared. Dr. Gerald Dreyfuss, a trauma doctor who is responsible for the girls' slow and gradual return to civilization, is the first of the adults to become aware of Mama, and earlier refuses to accept the existence of such a being, by providing the theory, that it was Victoria, who created this being, in order to cover up for the lack of a caregiver.

The movie is quite different from 'The Conjuring', while both are probably the best horror films to come out since 'The Cabin in The Woods', they are quite different, Mama relies on the story line and the character history, coupled with the not so innocent looking younger daughter, and the very visible Mama, in place of the hidden thrills that were there in 'The Conjuring' for scares, while a highly recommended film, it is not for people who prefer gore-filled horror movies.

A thumbs up to the films director Andy Muschietti, for this highly entertaining film, a complete thrill ride, as the end will give rise to all kinds of mixed emotions in you.

Till Next Time.