‘The Boogeyman’ Review: A Minor But Effectively Nerve-Jangling Stephen King Adaptation (2024)

Horror fans probably know that this latest cinematic adaptation of a Stephen King property was originally slated to go directly to streaming until positive reactions from both test audiences and the author himself prompted a theatrical release instead.

It was a good decision, since the scares in The Boogeyman are so slow-burn and atmospheric that it benefits greatly from the big screen. Not to mention that most of the film takes place in such darkness that the action will only be discernible on the best high-def televisions.

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The Boogeyman

The Bottom LineBring someone to grab.

Release date: Friday, June 2
Cast: Sophie Thatcher, Chris Messina, Vivien Lyra Blair, Marin Ireland, Madison Hu, LisaGay Hamilton, David Dastmalchian
Director: Rob Savage
Screenwriters: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods, Mark Heyman
Rated PG-13,1 hour 38 minutes

Based on a short story by King that was included in his Night Shift collection, the film, which takes considerable liberties with its source material, is an intimate tale largely revolving around three characters: Will (Chris Messina), his teenage daughter Sadie (Sophie Thatcher, Yellowjackets) and her younger sister Sawyer (Vivien Lyra Blair, Obi-Wan Kenobi). The trio are still in shock from the recent loss of the children’s mother, who died in an automobile accident, and live in the sort of old, weatherworn house that fairly demands to be haunted.

The story is set in motion when Will, a therapist who conducts his practice from home and whose grey beard and corduroy jacket exude empathy, is startled by the unexpected arrival of a stranger, Lester (David Dastmalchian, The Suicide Squad), who begs for an immediate consultation. Although wary, Will takes pity on the man’s suffering and allows him to tell his story. Lester tells him that he’s been blamed for the murder of his three young children, but that he had nothing to do it. Rather, their deaths were caused by “the thing that comes for your kids when you’re not paying attention.”

That thing, of course, is the boogeyman, and after a chilling episode that takes place during Lester’s visit, it soon becomes apparent, at least to Sadie and Sawyer, that things are literally starting to go bump in the night in the house. When Sadie takes it upon herself to visit Lester’s seemingly abandoned home, she meets his very disturbed wife (Marin Ireland, The Umbrella Academy), who tells her that the boogeyman is, in fact, real.

Here’s the thing about boogeymen, though. They’re a lot scarier to imagine than to actually see. And so it goes for the film superbly directed by Rob Savage. For much of its running time, The Boogeyman ratchets up the tension so tightly, abetted by a judicious and very effective use of jump scares (another benefit of the theatrical release are those killer sound systems in theaters these days), that it becomes truly nerve-jangling. It’s only when the boogeyman becomes fully exposed in the final act that he loses his power and the film becomes more of a rote creature feature. (No disrespect to the creature designers, who have done outstanding work.)

As is so often the case with horror films, the characters often behave ridiculously, repeatedly putting themselves in the sort of dangerous situations that prompt audience members to shout at the screen in frustration. And nearly every scene takes place in near total darkness, as if it were the Depression and electricity was simply too expensive a commodity. But The Boogeyman nonetheless mostly works, thanks to the expertly calibrated atmospherics, a memorable visual style (the youngest daughter walks around the house holding an illuminated orb for protection, and now I want one), and the committed performances of a very talented cast.

Thatcher is terrific as the plucky teen heroine still reeling from her mother’s death and desperate to protect her little sister, while Blair is so convincingly terrified throughout that you hope that child services monitored the production closely. Messina, working in a very different vein from his manically aggressive sports agent in Air, delivers a solid turn as the loving but helpless father, and Dastmalchian and Ireland are truly chilling in their brief but vivid supporting turns.

The Boogeyman, in both its literary and cinematic forms, is undoubtedly relatively minor King. But when it’s done this well, even minor King is major scary.

Full credits

Production companies: 20th Century Studios, 21 Laps Entertainment, NeoReel, Twentieth Century Fox
Distributor: 20th Century Studios
Cast: Sophie Thatcher, Chris Messina, Vivien Lyra Blair, Marin Ireland, Madison Hu, LisaGay Hamilton, David Dastmalchian
Director: Rob Savage
Screenwriters: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods, Mark Heyman
Producers: Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, Dan Cohen
Executive producers: John H. Starke, Emily Morris, Scott Beck, Bryan oods, Ryan Cunningham, Adam Kolbrenner, Robin Meisinger
Director of photography: Eli Born
Production designer: Jeremy Woodward
Editor: Peter Gvozdas
Costume designer: Kari Perkins
Composer: Patrick Jonsson
Casting: Wittney Horton
Rated PG-13,1 hour 38 minutes

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‘The Boogeyman’ Review: A Minor But Effectively Nerve-Jangling Stephen King Adaptation (2024)

FAQs

‘The Boogeyman’ Review: A Minor But Effectively Nerve-Jangling Stephen King Adaptation? ›

Ultimately, The Boogeyman is like so many other modern horror films that prioritize mood above all else. To its credit, it does have a few evocative sequences that serve up genuine chills, but looking for any thematic weight or narrative depth in it is like kids searching their closets for the actual Boogeyman.

What is Stephen King's favorite movie adaptation of his book? ›

King's favorite movie adaptations of his work are not horror. Instead, they include The Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me, both timeless dramas. These adaptations showcase King's diverse writing skills beyond horror, proving his versatility as a storyteller in various genres.

Is the new Boogeyman movie a remake? ›

Instead, the movie follows two new characters, Sawyer (Vivien Lyra Blair) and Sadie (Sophie Thatcher), sisters who become targets for the titular monster. That's because Savage's The Boogeyman is not a direct adaptation of King's short story. It's actually a sequel.

Where can I watch Stephen King's The Boogeyman? ›

Currently you are able to watch "The Boogeyman" streaming on Hulu.

Who is The Boogeyman based off of? ›

Interestingly, while The Boogeyman isn't based on a true experience, Savage has been influenced by another horror movie and how it used the night as a cover to kill. In an interview with the Kingcast Podcast, Savage admits he was influenced...

Why is John Wick called Baba Yaga? ›

John became the top enforcer for the New York Russian crime syndicate, becoming an infamous hitman. He was nicknamed "Baba Yaga" after the supernatural Boogeyman-like entity in Slavic folklore. Eventually, John fell in love with a woman named Helen.

Is the new Boogeyman connected to the old ones? ›

First things first, the new supernatural chiller "The Boogeyman" is no relation to "Boogeyman," the woefully bland 2005 horror film that spawned two direct-to-video sequels. Instead this one is based on the 1973 short story of the same name by Stephen King. It was originally planned as a straight-to-streaming release.

Is The Boogeyman a good adaptation? ›

Audience Reviews

The Boogeyman is one of the better Stephen King adaptations. It's planned out well with its casting and horror sequences. But it shouldn't be the top choice when looking for intense scares. Content collapsed.

Is boogeyman 2005 based on Stephen King? ›

It is, we learn in the credits, indeed based on the King story of the same name, from his 1978 collection “Night Shift.” Sort of. A couple of the characters in the film share names with characters from the book, and one of them does similar things.

What is the new horror movie on Netflix Stephen King? ›

Based on the short story written by Stephen King, The Life of Chuck is a drama/supernatural film by writer-director Mike Flanagan. Tom Hiddleston stars as the titular Charles Krantz and traverses three phases of his life, including his time spent growing up in a haunted house.

Is The Boogeyman movie demonic? ›

The Boogeyman turns out to be a real demonic force. The demon threatens the ones he loves, so Tim decides to take action. BOOGEYMAN the movie is filled with scary scenes and scary supernatural encounters with the demonic title character.

What creature is The Boogeyman in Stephen King? ›

On the first occasion in which Lester Billings, the protagonist of the story, manages to catch a glimpse of him, he is described as a creature with a head similar to that of a scarecrow, with sloping shoulders and hands armed with sharp claws.

Did Stephen King write The Boogeyman? ›

"The Boogeyman" is a short story by Stephen King, first published in the March 1973 issue of the magazine Cavalier and later included in King's 1978 collection, Night Shift.

What was in the closet at the end of The Boogeyman? ›

When Sadie returns to check what the therapist wants with her, she finds an empty room. There's only a closet partially open, from where the voice called Sadie. Since the Boogeyman can mimic other people's voices, Sadie understands the monster is still alive and reaching out to her.

What movie did Stephen King like the most? ›

The Shawshank Redemption” (1994)

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the author responded first with “The Shawshank Redemption”: a seven-time Oscar nominee from 1995. “I have a number that I like, but I love 'The Shawshank Redemption' and I've always enjoyed working with [director Frank Darabont],” King said.

What is Stephen King's favorite of his own books? ›

On this day, however, King replied concisely, “Lisey's Story. “ Lisey's Story, published in October 2006, follows the story of Lisey Landon, the widow of a famous author named Scott. The book follows Lisey's past and present as she begins to cope with life without her husband, who was fatally shot by an obsessed fan.

Which of Stephen King's novels was the first to be adapted into a film? ›

The first film adaptation of a Stephen King book arrived in 1976 with Carrie, a critical and commercial success that garnered two Academy Award nominations. And as King's books gained popularity, so did the clamor for more screen adaptations of his work.

How many Stephen King books have been adapted to film? ›

As a brand name, King is almost as prolific on screen as in print, with at least 60 movies (not even including the eight sequels to Children Of The Corn) and 50 shows to date, with more always incoming.

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