The Film
Jessica Chastain followed up her Oscar-nominated performance from Zero Dark Thirty with a semi-cheesy horror film. That's pretty much the only thing that people will remember about Mama.
It starts off interestingly enough. A disgruntled man (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, pulling double-duty) takes out his business partners and his estranged wife. He's about to do the same to his two little girls before a mysterious being gets to him first. For the next few years, those wee ones are raised on cherries and something growly. Apparently, that's "Mama."
Once the girls are rescued, Uncle Lucas (Coster-Waldau again!) decides to raise the two with his punk-rock girlfriend Annabel (Chastain, who looks like she borrowed one of Julia Roberts' Pretty Woman wigs). From there, the girls try to adapt while pretty much everyone else tries to fend off Mama's jealousy.
Chastain is sort of a waste in Mama. I was really hoping that her Annabelle was going to have a Ripley "get away from her, you bitch!" moment. Instead, she just throws a box of baby remains at Mama, because that and a bit of angst is all she's got in the arsenal.
This film has Guillermo Del Toro's name listed as a producer and he even appears in the special features, so I was expecting a little more. However, it sort of fizzles making this Mama fairly forgettable.
Need to get to know the title character a little better? Check out Tom Fugalli's theatrical review of Mama.
The Picture
For a story about two little girls, you aren't going to see any pinks or purples popping here. The film is filled with dark tones. That said, Universal is nice to this Mama, giving the film a sharp 1.85:1 transfer. The title character isn't much to look at, but the film has good contrast and some really nice textures throughout.
The Sound
The film's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is pretty typical for a horror flick. In other words, it's awesome. It's pretty mellow for the most part, but uses the entire soundfield to make sure that you're paying attention. The crash, helicopters, and even Mama herself are all pretty bold, as is the film's soundtrack. It's also worth noting that the dialogue is always clear, even when it's low.
The Extras
Final Thoughts
It's possible to make a super-scary PG-13 movie. Mama is not that movie. It does have a couple of heebie-jeebies here and there, but it's an otherwise forgettable film. If you need to indulge, at least know Universal has put together a nice package, with good AV and the original Mama short. That said, unless you're a super-fan when it comes to horror, Jessica Chastain or both, Mama is probably best left as a rental.
Product Details
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