A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
some
The movie is about finding strength and courage to combat a difficult situation, but it's also about grief and the various ways people go through it.
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Positive Role Models
a little
Sadie is presented in a pretty positive manner. While grieving the loss of her mother, she continues to be present for her younger sister (unlike her father, who responds by checking out) and takes it upon herself to research the monster's origins. On the other hand, she deals rather poorly with being bullied, and she succumbs to peer pressure.
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Diverse Representations
a little
Teen girls Sadie and Sawyer (White actors Sophie Thatcher and Vivien Lyra Blair) are the main characters, and they drive the story. They see a Black female therapist (LisaGay Hamilton). Sadie has a diverse group of friends, although only Bethany (Madison Hu, of Chinese descent) is sympathetic. The other three friends present as White, Black, and Latina.
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
Monster attacks. Fighting monster, stabbing. Children in peril. Young girl knocked over, grabbed, and thrown against TV (she winds up in the hospital). Person is said to have died by suicide (hanging). Dead body. Character with rifle, shooting at monster. Adult grabs teen, slams her head against wall, zip-ties her hands to a beam. Person thrown against wall, leg injured. Some blood spatters. In a nightmare, a teen is knocked down by a door, and some kind of tendril tries to enter her mouth. Monster pins down teen, attempts to "suck her life essence." Teen has a coughing fit, pulls a long stringy thing from her mouth. Kids are grieving the loss of their mother. Pool of blood, which turns out to be spilled paint. Jump-scares. Scary noises. Bullying: A teen is shoved up against locker, her lunch smashed against her clothing. Vandalism. House on fire. Dialogue about the deaths of three children. Yanking out child's loose tooth with string/doorknob.
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Language
some
One use of "f--k." Also "s--t," "goddamn," "bitch," "Jesus," "screw," "jerk," "popping your cherry," "fart."
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Products & Purchases
very little
Sony video camera shown.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a little
Teens smoke pot. (Not glamorized.) Dialogue from dad: "I could smell weed on you."
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Boogeyman is a horror movie based on Stephen King's classic short story about a darkness-lurking creature that preys on a family grieving the loss of a parent/partner. Violence includes children in peril, monster attacks (a child is thrown across a room), shotgun blasts, a teen's head getting slammed against a wall, a small blood spatter, a pool of blood (that turns out to be paint), a dead body (very brief), a death by suicide, jump-scares, scary noises, bullying, vandalism, a house on fire, and more. Teens smoke pot in one sequence, though it isn't glamorized. "F--k" is used once, "s--t" and "bitch" are used sporadically, and there are uses of "goddamn," "bitch," "Jesus," "screw," "jerk," "popping your cherry," and "fart." The movie's beats are a bit familiar, but director Rob Savage still manages a potent emotional core and some good scares. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
In THE BOOGEYMAN, Will Harper (Chris Messina) finds himself caring for his two daughters -- teen Sadie (Sophie Thatcher) and younger Sawyer (Vivien Lyra Blair) -- after their mom dies in a car accident. Will, a therapist, continues his work but somehow can't deal with his own grief. Sadie encounters cruelty at school, and Sawyer develops an intense fear of the dark. Then Will has an unexpected visit from a strange man, Lester Billings (David Dastmalchian), who tells a harrowing story: His three children all died, and while Lester appears to be guilty, the real killer was a terrifying monster, captured in a drawing by one of the children. While Will is off discreetly calling the police, Lester hangs himself. Soon after, a monstrous presence -- which only lurks in the dark -- begins making itself known to the Harpers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Boogeyman's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies? Why do people sometimes like to be scared?
How is drug use depicted? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
How does the movie depict grief? How are the three characters' grieving processes different? How are they similar?
Have you ever been afraid of the dark, like Sawyer? Why is the dark scary for many people?
Movie Details
- In theaters: June 2, 2023
- On DVD or streaming: August 29, 2023
- Cast: Sophie Thatcher, Chris Messina, Vivien Lyra Blair
- Director: Rob Savage
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: 20th Century Studios
- Genre: Horror
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Run time: 98 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: terror, violent content, teen drug use and some strong language
- Last updated: October 19, 2023
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