Goodnight Mommy review: The decade’s best horror film gets the worst remake

It might be unfair to compare remakes to their source films, but it’s also unavoidable for people who care about movies. While the common Hollywood lore says American audiences refuse to read subtitles, and English-language remakes open the film to broader audiences, it’s also true that a certain portion of the audience for any remake is made up of fans who want to see what a film has gained or lost in a second translation to the screen.

While remakes can often lose some of their original content, horror movies seem to be more affected than others. Some exceptions include The Right One is in’s competent American remake Allow Me to In. The reason one does work well is not enough to make you aware of the mistakes made by other remakes. Allow Me to In pulls from John Ajvide Lindqvist’s source novel as much as it takes from the original Swedish film. It maintains the original’s mood and tension, but Batman Cloverfield director Matt Reeves also didn’t set out to pay homage to The Right One is in. Though his film isn’t as unwaveringly brilliant as the imported version of the story, Allow Me to InThis is an excellent horror movie in its own right.

Sometimes, remakes can go horribly wrong. On the extreme end of the spectrum, there’s a new poster child for how not to remake a movie: the American version of Goodnight Mama.

Photo: Niko Tavernise/Prime Video

Austria’s original horror movie Good night MommyIt was published in 2015 following a highly anticipated festival run. Veronika Franz, writer/director, and Severin Fiala are proud to present their first feature narrative. This film is a brave, honest horror film from a country known less for its horror sector. The Austrian cinematic landscape isn’t completely free from the dark side of film, but it’s more firmly known for comedy and historic dramas. Goodnight Mama surprised horror fans with its origins — but it also shocked them with its extremity. Horror viewers are used to strange and creepy children.Goodnight MamaThese thoughts were taken to a higher level than is usual. Though the film (like the remake) is easily spoiled, it’s sufficient to say that its kids are creepy enough and the ending dark enough to shake even jaded horror aficionados.

The English-language remake of the original was first announced. Good Night MommyThe biggest concern was whether or not the film would be as difficult and as absurdistically end as the original. Not only does the remake lack the gumption to even approach the original film in terms of terror and on-screen pain, it doesn’t really work as a film in its own right.

Naomi Watts plays the title Mommy in this new film. English-language remakes The Ring Funny GamesWatts, with her extensive experience in horror filmmaking, may seem an easy choice as the leading actress for yet another American sequel to an international hit. The remake’s shortcomings aren’t due to her lack of craft or effort — the issues lie solely in the writing and directing.

Cameron and Nicholas Crovetti play twins Elias and Lucas, who have just been dropped off at their mother’s Connecticut farmhouse after she apparently separates from their father. They are playful but cautious until seeing their mother for the very first time. Mother, who is not given a name in film, is covered with a large bandage that runs across her entire head. It resembles a white balaclava. The boys are both alarmed at first, but they loosen up a little as they can see she’s making an effort to win them over, and they settle into their new family structure. After the boys are settled into their bunkbeds, the two of them discuss the possibility that their mother is not right.

Photo: David Giesbrecht/Prime Video

At the moment Good night, MommyIt completely loses the ball and never gets it back. This film not only shows the horror factor of Mother almost an entire hour sooner than the original but also establishes the fact these boys will talk throughout the movie, eliminating any tension or uncertainty. The film’s take Good Night Mommy He relies heavily on exposition. Director Matt Sobel (a director and producer on Netflix’s New Cherry FlavorThe film () does not attempt to set a frightening atmosphere or create tension. The loss of all that was frightening in the original is devastating for fans. There’s no sense of dread in this horror movie, because these dang kids won’t shut up and just let the audience experience what should be the quiet trepidation of living with a potential monster.

Add to all of this the fact that these boys just aren’t weird. The twins, a horror classic that can ignite the uncanny or bring about uncomfortable feelings on film without much explanation, are an iconic trope. (Just look at Stanley Kubrick’s Shining.) But Sobel’s remake, scripted by Kyle Warren (a writer-producer on Fox’s Lethal WeaponThe TV series) completely disregards all character development with Elias or Lucas. The original version of these twins kept cockroaches as pets, made strange masks, and tingled viewers’ spines by communicating wordlessly. These two are just normal kids, or at least normal when they aren’t being overly verbose.

The film is filled with many disappointing and confusing elements. There are strange, misplaced sexual moments with Mother preening at a mirror while Elias spies on her, angry outbursts from both Mother and the children that aren’t consistent with the characters or circumstances, and even a few cheap jump scares that lead nowhere. Not to mention the almost-bloodless conclusion, which is poorly filmed. This is in contrast to the extremely disturbing body horror in the original movie.

2014’sGoodnight Mama It is one the most memorable horror movies of the past decade. But almost all elements that contribute to its quality have been removed or neglected in this disappointing remake. Remakes can be a mixed bag, but this is the worst. Vudu, Tubi and YouTube stream the original free. The new version isn’t worth watching, even at that same price point.

Good Night Mommy Prime Video debuts Sept. 16