The monster in the closet: a tale of childhood trauma and generic horror
In short: In 2005, the supernatural horror film Boogeyman attempted to reinvent the classic monster-under-the-bed trope. While critics dismissed the film as unoriginal and cliché-ridden, it managed to find significant commercial success, proving that even a panned script can captivate a global audience.
Directed by Stephen Kay and written by Eric Kripke, Juliet Snowden, and Stiles White, the film follows Tim Jensen, a man haunted by the memory of his father being taken by an evil creature. This entity, the eponymous Boogeyman, is described as a creature that resides in all closets worldwide. To cope with this lifelong terror, Tim adopts extreme precautions, such as sleeping on a floor mattress and removing all closets from his home to ensure his clothes are kept only in dresser drawers.
The narrative follows Tim as he returns to his family's Victorian-style home to confront his past after the death of his mother. The plot weaves through encounters with a young girl named Franny—who is revealed to be the daughter of a doctor once thought to be insane—and a series of supernatural events involving portals in time through closets. Despite the film's attempt to build suspense through glimpses of the monster, many critics found the execution lacking.
Critical reception was largely negative. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an average rating of 3.3/10, with only 11% of 84 reviews being positive. Metacritic assigned it a score of 32 out of 100, indicating 'generally unfavorable' reviews. Critics from outlets like The New York Times and The Austin Chronicle criticized the film for its abysmal dialogue, predictable blueprint, and reliance on cheap terror tactics. However, the film was a financial success, grossing over $67 million worldwide, nearly equaling its production budget during its opening weekend with $19,020,655.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Boogeyman (film)
- Also: Boogeyman
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