Director Rob Savage’s The Boogeyman is based on the 1973 short story by horror legend Stephen King. This adaptation follows The Harper family as they’re slowly tormented by a mysterious entity in their home.

Sadie (Sophie Thatcher) and her little sister Sawyer (Vivien Lyra Blair) are putting the pieces back together after the passing of their mother. On the day the girls return to school, a disturbed man (played by David Dastmalchian) shows up for a therapy session without an appointment with their father Will (Chirs Messina). The man explains to Will that his children were killed by something he can’t explain but that he saw a glimpse of it once and doesn’t know what to do. After Will leaves him alone for a second the man disappears and is later found dead in the home.

The mysterious death leads Sadie to question what happened and what she heard before the mysterious man died. Shortly after, Sawyer is visited at night by a creature that comes out of her closet. Between Sadie’s questions and Sawyer’s interactions, the girls quickly realize the Boogeyman is real.

With an average script and a paint-by-numbers plot, Savage manages to elevate this horror story with a great camera angles, jump scares, and an effective use of light, shadows, and color. He’s able to turn the most mundane horror sequences into captivating sequences that draw audiences in. This is highlighted during the scene at Dr. Weller’s (LisaGay Hamilton) office when Sawyer is seeing a therapist to figure how what she’s been seeing.

The performances are what you’d expect from a horror film. Sophie Thatcher may have a future a scream queen. Although brief, the best performances come from David Dastmalchian and Marin Ireland as Rita Billings. The film could’ve benefited by having more of them in the film – especially the two of them onscreen together trying to fight The Boogeyman.

The Boogeyman doesn’t offer anything fans haven’t already seen. The plot is familiar and the creature design is a variation of “entities” we’ve seen before. Yet, it manages to be incredibly an entertaining 90 minute film. It’s a conventional horror film that separates itself by being visually stylish and offering a few unexpected scares. The Boogeyman may not shake up box office but will be on a Top 10 list once it lands on streaming services.

Grade: B-