In the midst of so many vampire and apocalypse movies, itâs nice to finally see a horror film that breaks the mold and has an actual plot rather than relying on cheap blood and gore to do the job. Mama, a supernatural horror film directed by Andres Muschietti and starring two-time Academy Award nominee Jessica Chastain, blasted into theaters on January 18 to positive reviews. The story follows Victoria and Lilly, two young girls who have been raised in an abandoned cabin by a mysterious supernatural figure they call âMama.â After being discovered in a practically feral state, the girls are sent to live with their uncle and his rocker girlfriend (played by Chastain) under psychiatric watch. As they are eased back into humanity, a jealous âMamaâ begins to make her presence known to the new family, as she reminds them that a motherâs love is forever. Much of the horror element in this movie is provided by the appearance of the children themselves. It is easy to forget that they are even human when they scamper across the kitchen counter on all fours, randomly pouncing at people while covered head to toe in dirt. To be honest, their animal-like mannerisms are just plain creepy. Mama is a nice blend of frightful anticipation and shock, leaving the audience constantly guessing at what will happen next. Muschietti plays on the viewerâs emotions, following passionate moments with sudden visits from âMamaâ, or portraying a scene as humorous and innocent only for the audience to quickly realize that âMamaâ is involved. The movie is an emotional roller coaster from start to finish. With all of the heart-stopping moments produced through the duration of this film, itâs hard to believe that Mama is only rated PG-13. There are some images in here that could seriously freak a person out regardless of their age. In the beginning, a father holds a gun up to his four-year old daughterâs head as he prepares to shoot her before he kills himself. Thatâs pretty heavy-duty stuff. Add in the CGI effects used to create âMamaâ, a sinister plot and some great filmwork and youâve got a true horror movie. With that being said, Mama isnât 100 minutes of pure darkness. Chastain shines as a career-driven rocker who wants nothing to do with children. Her development throughout the film is what drives the story; as she starts to discover her maternal side, âMamaâ becomes jealous and tries to take her down. While the tagline âA motherâs love is foreverâ may seem menacing, it has a comforting undertone when applied to Chastainâs character. Her growing bond with the children despite âMamaâ attempting to pull them apart is what makes this movie so well made, and worth watching. *To clarify, this movie is not the beloved Mama Mia.
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"Mama" brings scares along with interesting story
Lindsey Tucker
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January 28, 2013
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