*Better Watch Out is a truly great film. Seriously, watch it. But it's best to see it with as little knowledge as possible. The twists come early and often, and as such, this review will contain some SPOILERS.*
Christmas movies are a particular favorite of mine, especially as the season draws near. What better way to celebrate the arrival of the most wonderful time of the year than by watching a holiday classic? There's an almost ritualistic quality to these movies, as people will watch the same films (think It's a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Story) every year without fail. But as much as I love Christmas movies, I'm an even bigger fan of the limited sub-genre of Christmas horror movies. It's the perfect juxtaposition of cheery setting and darkly malicious subject matter, which means that these films can be kind of playful and fun. Perhaps the most explicit example of the genre is 2015's Krampus, a wonderful little blast that I've really come to love, but I think most would also argue that Gremlins fits into the category as well.
When I first heard about Better Watch Out, I was intrigued simply because it seemed to be an all-too-rare Christmas horror movie that would be right in my wheelhouse. Reading the buzz only interested me further, as it sounded like director Chris Peckover had crafted something subversive and engaging. And while early buzz can often doom a film, that isn't the case here. Better Watch Out is an absolute delight, the kind of surprise that comes out of nowhere to provoke and surprise in equal measure. What initially seems like a Yuletide-themed home invasion thriller evolves into something else entirely, a completely unpredictable mix of pitch-black comedy and gutsy horror. These are genre thrills of the highest order, led by the tremendous trio of Olivia DeJonge, Levi Miller, and Ed Oxenbould. Coming in at a compact 88 minutes, Better Watch Out is an insanely good time, thrilling and terrifying while also announcing Chris Peckover as a director to watch.
Luke (Levi Miller) is your average kid living in the upper-class suburbs of modern America. He's a bit snobby, he hangs around with Garrett (Ed Oxenbould), his irresponsible best friend, and he has a massive crush on Ashley (Olivia DeJonge), the older girl who babysits him. One winter night, Luke's parents (a smarmy Patrick Warburton and a shockingly rude Virginia Madsen) head out for a night on the town, leaving Luke with Ashley. Here's the catch- Ashley is moving away in a few days, and Luke sees this as his chance to make a move. Ashley loves hanging with Luke, but the age difference is just too much, and she additionally has a complicated love life of her own. Even as Luke breaks out a bottle of wine and lights some candles, Ashley just knows that it isn't gonna happen.
Then weird things start happening. Noises around the house, a giant spider that crawls just under Ashley's feet- something is afoot. When the cell signal goes out and weird calls begin to pour in, Ashley and Luke start to get scared. And when a man with a shotgun shows up, their fear turns into sheer terror. But as they carefully dance around this mysterious stranger, Ashley stunningly realizes that the man with the gun is none other than Garrett, Luke's wannabe stoner best friend. So wait, what's really going on here? Was this all some kind of a scheme, a playful joke gone awry? Or is something even more sinister about to begin?
I wish I could go further, but even with a spoiler warning, I would feel truly bad if someone who hadn't seen the film happened to stumble upon this review. Unless you're a hugely important director who can micromanage what information is put into the marketing campaign (think Denis Villeneuve or Rian Johnson), it's hard to find truly original, surprising material these days. It's difficult enough to write a bold and unique script, let alone to survive the ad campaign without the studio spoiling the hell out of the movie. I went into Better Watch Out completely cold, and I'm glad I did- this thing shocked and surprised me at literally every turn. Never for a second did I know where it was going. The red band trailer (which I watched after seeing the film) does a good job with misdirection, but it also shows virtually everything that happens. Trust me, this is one you'll want to experience for yourself.
But is Better Watch Out just an endless series of twists and stunning moments? Or is there something really special going on here? I would argue the latter to be true, as this lean, mean little thriller is one of the most involving experiences I've had this year (amusingly enough, I watched the film in my room on a laptop). Peckover and co-screenwriter Zack Kahn don't just shock the audience for the hell of it- they're constantly building and subverting, taking the story in natural directions before turning things upside down. They play with archetypal characters until they decide to blow that all to smithereens, and they utilize a conventional narrative until it's time for the left turns to begin. The twists never feel cheap or useless- they're a natural (albeit, endlessly disturbing) progression of the characters and the story that Peckover and Kahn have established.
The result is a truly unpredictable movie, something that I honestly haven't seen in a long time. Peckover sets up the first twist with impeccable skill, and it's a gasp-inducing little surprise. But from there, your attention turns to this question- just how far can he push it? In one brilliant moment, he's able to reconfigure everything we know about the characters and the story. But the entire time, I kept wondering where the journey would go, whether there was even a logical endpoint in sight. Somehow, Peckover impressively builds off his great start to take the film into some slyly funny, satirical directions, poking a stick at the idea of suburbia and childhood innocence while also delivering a roller-coaster ride of thrills. It's a horror comedy that progressively becomes more and more depraved, reaching a point where I feel comfortable calling it a genre classic. It plays off our expectations while also putting its own anarchic stamp on the material, and its economical approach and relentless pacing only make it that much more fun.
I have a feeling that this will be Peckover's breakout film, and since he's clearly a director with ideas to spare, I can't wait to see where he goes from here. If there's a flaw to be found, it's that the elements of composition aren't nearly as fascinating as the film's loopy narrative, but I have a feeling that Peckover's directorial style will only improve as he goes along. With Better Watch Out, he proves himself to be a tremendous director of young actors, as he gets outrageously good performances from his three leads. Olivia DeJonge is wonderful as our sweetly sympathetic lead, and Ed Oxenbould channels this terrific mix of guilt and charm, but it's really Levi Miller I want to talk about. Miller's performance is imperfect, but he's working on an entirely different level in this film. What he does with Luke is nothing short of mesmerizing, and while I wouldn't dare spoil this thing, you won't be able to take your eyes off him. It's a manic, chilling performance from an actor who should be on everyone's radar.
Better Watch Out is just a blast. Plain and simple, you will have a great time watching this movie. It's the kind of wickedly twisted Christmas fun that hits the spot, and it's anchored by an astonishingly good performance from Levi Miller. I've gotten better at predicting movies over the years, but never once did I know where this thing was going. Chris Peckover is a real talent, a director that I will be keeping an eye on. While this isn't his debut feature, it's such a confident display of storytelling that it feels like a genuine revelation. On this Friday the 13th, I guarantee you won't find a better chiller than this. Better Watch Out is special.
THE FINAL GRADE: A- (8.5/10)
Christmas movies are a particular favorite of mine, especially as the season draws near. What better way to celebrate the arrival of the most wonderful time of the year than by watching a holiday classic? There's an almost ritualistic quality to these movies, as people will watch the same films (think It's a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Story) every year without fail. But as much as I love Christmas movies, I'm an even bigger fan of the limited sub-genre of Christmas horror movies. It's the perfect juxtaposition of cheery setting and darkly malicious subject matter, which means that these films can be kind of playful and fun. Perhaps the most explicit example of the genre is 2015's Krampus, a wonderful little blast that I've really come to love, but I think most would also argue that Gremlins fits into the category as well.
When I first heard about Better Watch Out, I was intrigued simply because it seemed to be an all-too-rare Christmas horror movie that would be right in my wheelhouse. Reading the buzz only interested me further, as it sounded like director Chris Peckover had crafted something subversive and engaging. And while early buzz can often doom a film, that isn't the case here. Better Watch Out is an absolute delight, the kind of surprise that comes out of nowhere to provoke and surprise in equal measure. What initially seems like a Yuletide-themed home invasion thriller evolves into something else entirely, a completely unpredictable mix of pitch-black comedy and gutsy horror. These are genre thrills of the highest order, led by the tremendous trio of Olivia DeJonge, Levi Miller, and Ed Oxenbould. Coming in at a compact 88 minutes, Better Watch Out is an insanely good time, thrilling and terrifying while also announcing Chris Peckover as a director to watch.
Luke (Levi Miller) is your average kid living in the upper-class suburbs of modern America. He's a bit snobby, he hangs around with Garrett (Ed Oxenbould), his irresponsible best friend, and he has a massive crush on Ashley (Olivia DeJonge), the older girl who babysits him. One winter night, Luke's parents (a smarmy Patrick Warburton and a shockingly rude Virginia Madsen) head out for a night on the town, leaving Luke with Ashley. Here's the catch- Ashley is moving away in a few days, and Luke sees this as his chance to make a move. Ashley loves hanging with Luke, but the age difference is just too much, and she additionally has a complicated love life of her own. Even as Luke breaks out a bottle of wine and lights some candles, Ashley just knows that it isn't gonna happen.
Then weird things start happening. Noises around the house, a giant spider that crawls just under Ashley's feet- something is afoot. When the cell signal goes out and weird calls begin to pour in, Ashley and Luke start to get scared. And when a man with a shotgun shows up, their fear turns into sheer terror. But as they carefully dance around this mysterious stranger, Ashley stunningly realizes that the man with the gun is none other than Garrett, Luke's wannabe stoner best friend. So wait, what's really going on here? Was this all some kind of a scheme, a playful joke gone awry? Or is something even more sinister about to begin?
I wish I could go further, but even with a spoiler warning, I would feel truly bad if someone who hadn't seen the film happened to stumble upon this review. Unless you're a hugely important director who can micromanage what information is put into the marketing campaign (think Denis Villeneuve or Rian Johnson), it's hard to find truly original, surprising material these days. It's difficult enough to write a bold and unique script, let alone to survive the ad campaign without the studio spoiling the hell out of the movie. I went into Better Watch Out completely cold, and I'm glad I did- this thing shocked and surprised me at literally every turn. Never for a second did I know where it was going. The red band trailer (which I watched after seeing the film) does a good job with misdirection, but it also shows virtually everything that happens. Trust me, this is one you'll want to experience for yourself.
But is Better Watch Out just an endless series of twists and stunning moments? Or is there something really special going on here? I would argue the latter to be true, as this lean, mean little thriller is one of the most involving experiences I've had this year (amusingly enough, I watched the film in my room on a laptop). Peckover and co-screenwriter Zack Kahn don't just shock the audience for the hell of it- they're constantly building and subverting, taking the story in natural directions before turning things upside down. They play with archetypal characters until they decide to blow that all to smithereens, and they utilize a conventional narrative until it's time for the left turns to begin. The twists never feel cheap or useless- they're a natural (albeit, endlessly disturbing) progression of the characters and the story that Peckover and Kahn have established.
The result is a truly unpredictable movie, something that I honestly haven't seen in a long time. Peckover sets up the first twist with impeccable skill, and it's a gasp-inducing little surprise. But from there, your attention turns to this question- just how far can he push it? In one brilliant moment, he's able to reconfigure everything we know about the characters and the story. But the entire time, I kept wondering where the journey would go, whether there was even a logical endpoint in sight. Somehow, Peckover impressively builds off his great start to take the film into some slyly funny, satirical directions, poking a stick at the idea of suburbia and childhood innocence while also delivering a roller-coaster ride of thrills. It's a horror comedy that progressively becomes more and more depraved, reaching a point where I feel comfortable calling it a genre classic. It plays off our expectations while also putting its own anarchic stamp on the material, and its economical approach and relentless pacing only make it that much more fun.
I have a feeling that this will be Peckover's breakout film, and since he's clearly a director with ideas to spare, I can't wait to see where he goes from here. If there's a flaw to be found, it's that the elements of composition aren't nearly as fascinating as the film's loopy narrative, but I have a feeling that Peckover's directorial style will only improve as he goes along. With Better Watch Out, he proves himself to be a tremendous director of young actors, as he gets outrageously good performances from his three leads. Olivia DeJonge is wonderful as our sweetly sympathetic lead, and Ed Oxenbould channels this terrific mix of guilt and charm, but it's really Levi Miller I want to talk about. Miller's performance is imperfect, but he's working on an entirely different level in this film. What he does with Luke is nothing short of mesmerizing, and while I wouldn't dare spoil this thing, you won't be able to take your eyes off him. It's a manic, chilling performance from an actor who should be on everyone's radar.
Better Watch Out is just a blast. Plain and simple, you will have a great time watching this movie. It's the kind of wickedly twisted Christmas fun that hits the spot, and it's anchored by an astonishingly good performance from Levi Miller. I've gotten better at predicting movies over the years, but never once did I know where this thing was going. Chris Peckover is a real talent, a director that I will be keeping an eye on. While this isn't his debut feature, it's such a confident display of storytelling that it feels like a genuine revelation. On this Friday the 13th, I guarantee you won't find a better chiller than this. Better Watch Out is special.
THE FINAL GRADE: A- (8.5/10)
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