Mama - Movie Reviews

Hits most of the expected beats of a ghost story of this nature, though the actual design of the titular character is jarring and evocative enough to stay with you well after the credits roll.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 22, 2023

Following a common trend in supernatural horror, Mama begins with a novel premise and compelling characters, but then slowly digresses into bankrupt genre clichés, rampant exposition, and formulaic boo! moments.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Sep 20, 2022

...a little unnerving when it needs to be and creepy throughout.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Aug 23, 2022

Mama may not be the go-to horror film, but in the season of honoring mothers, it is the perfect film for the horror fanatic.

Full Review | May 6, 2022

While [Guillermo Del Toro] only takes an executive producer credit here on Mama, I doubt more involvement would have been helpful.

Full Review | Jan 14, 2021

Connoisseurs of a more classic thriller/horror vibe will embrace the emotionally resonant and thought-provoking Mama.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.0/4.0 | Sep 15, 2020

Promising pieces and a stylish presentation should be enough to at least recommend "Mama," but the movie never coalesces into anything greater than the sum of its parts.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Jul 18, 2020

The first truly heinous film starring Jessica Chastain.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.2/5 | Nov 19, 2019

What might have been a great twist is wasted. Back to the drawing board for all those involved.

Full Review | Jul 30, 2019

Despite an intriguing premise and a few scenes that work really well, this is one of those horror films that get sillier as they go along.

Full Review | Apr 11, 2019

Never quite feels like the sum of its parts, devolving disappointingly into a nuts 'n' bolts chiller with sparse originality of its own.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Feb 9, 2019

Chastain is certainly the biggest reason to see Mama, but... The young actresses playing the girls can hold their own.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Dec 18, 2018

One of the few horror films that feels more character-driven and isn't just a monster-of-the-week jump scare fest.

Full Review | Original Score: 8.5/10 | Nov 1, 2018

While Mama is occasionally hamstrung by cliches, it is a stylish and effective ghost story that lives up to its promise, delivering spine-tingling scares.

Full Review | Aug 21, 2018

It will make you shiver with fear, but it might also make you question what passes for "natural" when it comes to motherhood.

Full Review | May 23, 2018

While its finale gestures at something emotional, getting there involves mucho familiar multiplex filler: loud screeches and some pretty silly business involving the girls' sinister way with wax crayons.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Sep 1, 2017

Good acting can't forgive bad effects or narrative choices, and yes, there are a lot of those.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Jan 9, 2017

While Del Toro uses fantasy elements to reach deeper into childhood fear (see Pan's Labyrinth), Mama has flashes of terror then sets back to be, at best, routine.

Full Review | May 10, 2016

Clearly suffers from post-production tinkering but offers some decent chills at its best moments.

Full Review | Aug 24, 2015

If horror movies can be regarded for their degree of effort, then here is one of the hardest-working of the recent past.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 26, 2014