The Lullaby (2017)

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

This movie is nothings like horrer, such child abusing and a mother who did't know whats going on.

Postpartum depression? Post Traumatic Rape Syndrome? Controlling mother syndrome? Haunted by the distant past? A combination of the four? In any case, whatever the girl's problem is-- the cinematography is fantastic! The pacing is excellent! The characters are all well-rounded and realistic. This is a Slasher film, if smart and sassy, so step into this one either able to deal with extreme horror or as a veteran of the same. This is a girl-leaves-home-gets-raped-by-redneck-has-baby-goes-back-home-kills-first-man-who-tries-to-rape-her kind of movie. Just so you know.

There will be some spoilers here! This movie let me with a bitter taste, and not because it was a good film. Honestly, I rated this 4/10 because I liked the atmosphere and the acting. But, and it is a BIG "But", I was not surprised and I didn't liked the script..First of all, after the beginning, after the child birth, I knew where it will go. and what was all the "issue" about Liam's father.The lead actress was awesome and very much believable. Seriously was a great work for her. And then again, I couldn't like the film. I felt the same with "Contracted". Why always made a raped girl/woman be guilty of the act? Because this is what I felt on this movie.SPOILERS HERE! Poor Chloe was obviously, since we see her delivering the baby, a rape victim. And that is obvius because the first scene before the credits. And we see her the whole movie suffering the borden, keeping the secret. Even her "male friend" told her (before abusing her) "You let some one else have you first" What the heck is wrong with the person who wrote the script? END OF SPOILERSMovie have good building up on the drama, and on the supernatural thing, atmosphere was creepy and kind of scary some times. It is good, but not for this script.I don't want see anything again from this crew, but I will take a look on the lead actress in others films.4/10 The good: creepy atmosphere and good mystery/drama build up. The lead actress was awesome.The bad: all the rest of the movie.Watch at your own risk.

Caught this film last night, it was met with much anticipation considering last year's social media buzz on its low distribution by South African cinema franchises, supposedly due to its themes. It's been blogged that the film was inspired by Afrikaans folklore but unfortunately the film never really goes there.It's about a young mother, Chloe played by Reine Swart going through a bad case of social depression. She lives with her mother plus a newly born baby and set in South Africa (although no Black South African actors nor extras are seen). The story specifically takes place in a forest looking location; Eden Rocks, it makes one wonder if it's a reference to the recent controversial "White Christian Only" gated community called "Project Eden" (but that's in the desert area). Anyway, what follows that Chloe has visions, or illusions of a type of boogey man (or more of a boogey woman spectre) referencing the film's opening scenes of early 1900s Dutch (?) Christians participating in ritual sacrifices. Chloe's spectre comes off looking like a flying nun whose apparitions makes her sanity worse throughout the film, but this is where the narrative drags.Director Darrell Roodt, who has been nominated (and has received awards) for his film productions such as 1992's Sarafina. Surprising, this film's weakest points of not developing character depth by using its star power, namely Brandon Auret (from CHAPPIE fame) top billed as Dr. Reeds. This narrative had great potential to use his acting talents to raise the suspense and horror, instead of employing predictable jump scares.Yet, the most notable aspect of "Siembamba" (known as "The Lullaby" abroad) that it's an initiative in developing more contemporary South African cinematic horror. Although its marketing has been trying to do a comparison with the Australian film "The Babadook", but this film could probably be compared to an earlier Millennial Italian horror film, "Ghost Son" by Lamberto Bava (also set in a Southern African location).