Then we see the mighty river they're about to enter. There's nothing really new here, except in ghost design for the eponymous character.When they arrive at that natural gateway, we first see it reflected in their awestruck faces. The setting was great, the set-up was impeccable, and the kids in this film are perfectly cast and super creepy, but it all feels done before. Annabel instead comes off as petty and sallow outcast who is a little cruel towards the kids. Are any of these characteristics explored to enhance her character and make the impact of motherhood via adoption apparent compared to Mama's obsession? No. Annabel (Chastain) is an interesting character, who likes her independence, values not being a mother, and has a carefree relationship with her boyfriend Lucas (Coster-Waldau). Everything else about this film feels a bit done, but that's not to say it's essentially bland. The character designs in del Toro's films have become much narrower in recent years (Most applicable in "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark") and in this film it's easy to see where his influence changed the look of Mama.
When she plays with the children, or hides in plain sight, she is scary, as she plays the "other" rather well, but when we finally see her in full view, it's clear she wasn't constructed to be frightening. Her presence is always frightening, and the look of her from a peripheral standpoint is freakish, but that's only when she's in the shadows.
Mama is not an interesting character, or a great ghost in the long run. While "Mama" isn't anything new, it is refreshing to see a film that places emphasis on the ethereal and the familiar in its ghosts. Based on his short film from 2008, this reimagining has a larger emphasis on the specter, Mama's, backstory and places macabre elements into the story. He has a producing credit and is always presenting in advertising, but it is director Andres Muschietti who brought the concept to the screen. Though Mexican director Guillermo del Toro did not direct this film, his fingerprints are indelibly placed all over this film.
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