Winter release destroys established horror notions

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Christopher Konicki, Copy Editor

William Brent Bell, the not-so-hot director of several horror movies, has redeemed himself by composing a thrilling cinematic experience worthy of an award. Throughout this seemingly supernatural based film, “The Boy” takes several dark twists and turns with Brahms to unleash one of the first great film twists of 2016.

Featuring “The Walking Dead’s” Lauren Cohan as Greta Evans, a young nanny for a creepy yet interesting doll, the actress throws her heart into the role. She is charged with taking care of a British couple’s porcelain doll, replica of their son who died at the age of 8 in 1991. If the mere thought of moving out to the middle of nowhere-land England isn’t ominous enough, the couple developed an unsettling notion that this doll is truly their son and should be treated as such. This belief creates the premise for the film as a horror similar to the likes of “Chuckie”, “Annabelle”, and other classics, but with an unforgettable twist.

Often seen in the horror genre is the aspect of supernatural activity. While often overused, “The Boy” most certainly destroys the long assumed notion that supernatural films all follow the same plot line. The twist that has been often discussed is part of the heart of this movie and the genre itself: not only are there paranormal elements, it goes beyond that. The Michael Myers-esque theme near the end of the film most certainly flips everything we thought we knew about the film upside down.

Unrelentless at the soul, “The Boy” makes every effort to butcher pre-established notions of what is common knowledge of the horror genre of the 20th and 21st centuries. While tiptoeing on a slippery slope, the film certainly makes every step of the plot development worth remembering.