With Guillermo del Toro’s blessing as executive producer, the film Mama arrives to the big screen. This petrifying fairy tale welcomes Argentinean filmmaker Andy Muschietti to Hollywood, whom displays his cumulative narrative skills in this whimsical horror thriller. Muschietti along side sister Bárbara Muschietti, (producer and co-writer) creates a ghostly story that intertwines different genres, while successfully toying around with convention.

Based on the award-winning Spanish short film under the same name, (also directed by Muschietti) Mama explores in depth the story of sisters Victoria (Megan Charpentier) and Lilly (Isabelle Nelisse). After a tragic event culminating with the death of their parents, the two sisters disappear without a trace. Five years after their disappearance and following an intensive search, the two girls are found by their uncle Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and his wife Anabelle (Jessica Chastain). Lacking all sort of social skills and in an almost animal-like state, the girls are brought back to live with Lucas and Anabelle, without them realizing that the girls did not come out of the woods alone. Once home, strange events and mysterious apparitions start disturbing the already complicated scenario of this new improvised family.

The cast is an all-around score. Their acting is not only a true testament of the actors’ caliber, but also showcases Muschietti’s ability to direct well achieved interpretations, specially from the younger actors. Despite their young age, Megan Charpentier and Isabelle Nelisse demonstrate incredible control of the histrionic craft and make use of it in every single scene they participate in.

The aesthetics of this film are elegantly constructed and each detail is carefully defined. In this way the director creates the perfect scenario to engage the audience in a thrilling psychological game. The visual effects are impressive and effective. Muschietti relies on unexpected and unconventional camera movements and angles to build up tension and intensify the scare factor.

The film Mama is scary, well executed and moving. The dark side of human nature meets the supernatural world in a sinister fable that keeps the audience at the edge of their seat. More than a scary movie, Mama explores motherly love in different angles. It also addresses the imperious human need to feel that we belong somewhere and the desperate urge to deeply connect with another human being. In this dense horror story, new director Andy Muschietti proves that motherly love can be terrifying.

MAMA is now playing in theaters everywhere.