Mama
2013, Mystery and thriller/Horror, 1h 40m
166 Reviews 100,000+ RatingsWhat to know
If you're into old-school scares over cheap gore, you'll be able to get over Mama's confusing script and contrived plot devices. Read critic reviews
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Movie Info
Cast & Crew
Annabel
Uncle Lucas, Jeffrey
Victoria
Lilly
Dr. Dreyfuss
Mama
News & Interviews for Mama
Critic Reviews for Mama
All Critics (166) | Top Critics (47) | Fresh (105) | Rotten (61)
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While [Guillermo Del Toro] only takes an executive producer credit here on Mama, I doubt more involvement would have been helpful.
January 14, 2021 | Full Review… -
Good acting can't forgive bad effects or narrative choices, and yes, there are a lot of those.
January 9, 2017 | Rating: 2.5/5 | Full Review… -
Haunting and extremely atmospheric, Mama is a horror film imbued with an unsettling and affecting power.
January 1, 2014 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review… -
The problem is that [the] movie barely meets the minimum generic requirements, and thus comes off as pretentious for presuming to hover so airily above them.
January 1, 2014 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review… -
[The movie] has more integrity than its creepshow peers. The story basically comes down to a dead-looking woman who doesn't want to be a mother fighting for parental custody against a long-dead woman who does. (Grad students, start your theses.)
August 1, 2013 | Rating: C+ | Full Review… -
If you can swallow the porcelain Chastain as a tattooed bass player in a punk band, then the supernatural hooey will not seem in any way hard to believe.
February 26, 2013 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
Audience Reviews for Mama
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Feb 06, 2017Some wicked creature design and good child actors make up for Mama's "unfinished" feeling. Jessica Chastain delivers as usual.Gimly M Super Reviewer
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Apr 26, 2015Startling to a point, Guillermo Del Toro is extremely unafraid of making himself too obvious as his trademark styles are very fluent throughout viewing. The horror film quickly escapades through retreading horror film clichés and eventually concludes in a confusing fairytale ending, reminiscient of Del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth" which also blended horror and fantasy. It's quite scary, but don't expect to be frightened by anything you aren't already expecting to be frightened by. The story, in which the "feral child" phenomenon is explored is probably the best part of the film, as well as the sturdy and often experimental direction.Harry W Super Reviewer
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Feb 23, 2014Entertaining not one on my top ten Horror or whatever genre this Movie "slipped" inNaWie M Super Reviewer
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Nov 04, 2013Though Mexican director Guillermo del Toro did not direct this film, his fingerprints are indelibly placed all over this film. He has a producing credit and is always presenting in advertising, but it is director Andres Muschietti who brought the concept to the screen. 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. 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. Mama is not an interesting character, or a great ghost in the long run. 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. 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. 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. Everything else about this film feels a bit done, but that's not to say it's essentially bland. 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). 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 instead comes off as petty and sallow outcast who is a little cruel towards the kids. 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. There's nothing really new here, except in ghost design for the eponymous character.Spencer S Super Reviewer
Mama Quotes
| Dr. Dreyfuss: | Victoria, who is Mama? Can you show her to me? |
| Annabel: | Victoria, what's under the bed? |
| Victoria: | Victoria's voice-mail recording: "Leave a message after the beep. F*ck you. Beeep!" |
| Victoria: | [Victoria's voice-mail recording] Leave a message after the beep. F*ck you. Beeep! |
| Annabel: | [Victoria's voice-mail recording] Leave a message after the beep. F*ck you. Beeep! |
| Lilly: | Victoria.. Mama.. Come |
| Lilly: | Victoria.. Mama.. Come. |
| Victoria: | Victoria Stay. |
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