I watched Mama late last night. Rain hit the window. I had hot cocoa and a blanket. My cat, Nori, kept staring at the TV like she knew something I didn’t. You know what? I already felt tense before the first scare.
What’s the deal?
Two little girls get found living alone in a creepy cabin. They move in with their uncle and his punk girlfriend, Annabel. But the girls didn’t come back alone. Something they call “Mama” follows them. It’s not friendly. It’s also not simple.
I’ve seen a lot of ghost movies. This one leans into grief and care. It asks, who gets to be “mom”? That part got me.
Moments that stuck to my ribs
- The cold open sets the mood fast. A gun. A crash. A tiny shoe in the snow. I was already grabbing the blanket.
- The hallway scene where the little one plays with someone we can’t see? I actually paused it and said, “Nope.” Then I hit play anyway, like a fool.
- Moths. Everywhere. On the walls. In the girls’ hair. My cat tried to paw the screen.
- The closet scene. I knew it was coming. Still jumped. Twice.
Light spoilers here: the last scene by the cliff made my stomach drop. It’s sad and scary at the same time. Odd mix, but it works.
Jessica Chastain sold it for me
Annabel looks tough. Short black hair. Band tees. Bass guitar hanging low. I used to play bass in a messy little bar group, so that felt real to me. She isn’t ready to be “Mom,” and she says it out loud. But she still shows up for the kids, inch by inch. That slow shift made the fear matter. Without her, it’s just jump scares.
The kids are great too. The older one has this wary look that hurts. The younger one moves like a little animal. It’s hard to fake that. You can tell the director cared about their scenes.
The look and the sound
The house is dim and cold on purpose. Lots of blue and gray. It feels damp, like the air is heavy. The sound mix is sneaky. You hear a hum, then a lullaby, then a breath. I kept turning the volume down, which is funny, because that never helps.
Mama herself? Sometimes she looks amazing, like a nightmare storybook come to life. The float, the hair, the bent limbs—yikes. Other times, the CGI looks a bit rubbery. Not a deal breaker. But when the camera lingers, you notice.
Critical reactions run the gamut—just scroll through Mama’s page on Rotten Tomatoes to see how divided people are about that rubbery CGI.
Story bits that hit different
There’s a court case, a doctor with files, and old photos that explain who “Mama” was. I liked the backstory. Also, if you’re in the mood for an even deeper breakdown of how these pieces fit together, you can dive into an extended analysis right here on All Flesh’s full “Mama” review. I also wished some parts were clearer. The rules of the ghost change a little, and my brain kept asking why. Horror doesn’t need perfect logic, sure. But give me one clean rule to hold onto.
Christy Lemire nails that frustration in her thoughtful review over on RogerEbert.com.
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Also, can we talk about the way the girls call out “Mama” in that thin voice? That sound stuck in my head. I took the trash out at midnight and felt dumb for being spooked. Still ran.
What worked for me
- Strong mood from start to finish
- Annabel’s arc feels honest
- The kids act their hearts out
- Scares spread out well; not all jumps
- That humming lullaby—creepy in a soft way
What didn’t
- The CGI face in a few shots took me out
- The rules of the ghost wobble
- The third act goes big and gets a bit messy
Little real-life notes
I watched it at 11 p.m., lights off, which was a mistake. I spilled cocoa during the hallway scene. I texted my friend, “Why are there so many moths?” She replied, “They’re grief with wings.” That made me laugh, then feel weird, then laugh again. Later, Nori knocked a spoon off the counter and I almost screamed. Thanks, Nori.
Should you watch it?
- Yes, if you like eerie over gory.
- Yes, if you want a ghost story with heart.
- Maybe skip if you need airtight logic or hate CGI.
If this sounds like your flavor of fear, you can find more hand-picked nightmare fuel over at All Flesh.
Quick nerdy bits (kept simple)
- Produced by Guillermo del Toro. You can feel that fairy-tale gloom.
- Directed by Andrés Muschietti. The camera glides slow, like it’s sneaking up on you.
- The score leans hush over boom. That’s scarier to me.
Final take
Mama is a sad ghost story wrapped in a chill. It got under my skin, and it stayed there. I had a few eye-rolls at the effects, but I also cared, which matters more.
I give it 7 night-lights out of 10. And yes, I slept with one on. Just in case Mama hums.