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Mama (2013) - Andrés Muschietti



Mama was really appealing to me. I am a big fan of Guillermo Del Toro's work (ex. Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy, and The Devil's Backbone) But he isn't really all that involved. Other than that, this picture relies heavily on sub-par CGI mixed with low-budget effects. The story is frustrating and the main antagonist is so over-the-top, it's ridiculous. But I watched it.

This movie is about two young girls that were abandoned in a cabin, far out in the woods. Their father had apparently went on a killing spree and then was killed himself. For five years they had been raised by a strange, vengeful spirit named Mama. When discovered, the girls were malnourished and very feral. They would lash out and hiss. It was quite a scene. The girls uncle takes them in and raises them with his punk-rawk girlfriend. Weird, semi-spooky events start to take place. Mama apparently doesn't want to let go of her "daughters". 

This movie started out with very little promise. I had put off watching this as much as I could. By the time the action started this instantly turned into one of those frustrating pictures that you end up shouting at. The horror was obvious and drab. Tamed down and neutered from what it could have been. The story isn't all that bad, it's just not presented very well. Mama is another victim of the terrible PG-13 rating system that had ruined so many promising horror movies of the early 00's.

 Director: Andrés Muschietti
County: Canada
Style: Dissolved Terror with Supernatural Events

 Did ya know...
Mama's movement is not entirely CGI. Javier Botet has well-above-average range of motion in his joints. The only CGI on Mama is her hair.
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