PORTLAND, Maine — A new movie out this week is based on a short story written by famous Mainer Stephen King.
The horror film is called "The Boogeyman," and it's based on a short story from King published in his 1978 collection, "Night Shift."
Here is the film's synopsis:
"High school student Sadie Harper and her younger sister Sawyer are reeling from the recent death of their mother and aren’t getting much support from their father, Will, a therapist who is dealing with his own pain. When a desperate patient unexpectedly shows up at their home seeking help, he leaves behind a terrifying supernatural entity that preys on families and feeds on the suffering of its victims."
The story was adapted into short films in 1982 and 2010. But in 2018, a movie adaptation of "The Boogeyman" was announced with the writers of "A Quiet Place." That project was subsequently scrapped when Disney completed its takeover of Fox. It was then revived in 2021.
As of Wednesday afternoon, "The Boogeyman" has a 67 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. Washington Post film critic Michael O'Sullivan gave the film 2.5 out of 4 stars, writing:
"'The Boogeyman' is still rather effective at what it sets out to do, probably due in large part to the contributions of Beck and Woods, the writing/producing duo behind the 2018 hit 'A Quiet Place.' On one level, it can be read as a metaphor for grief, kind of like 'The Babadook,' which covered the same ground, albeit to greater effect."
His review continued, "But by choosing literalness over ambiguity, 'The Boogeyman' doesn’t quite stick the landing like that richly allusive 2014 Australian film did. This boogeyman bleeds, Rita notes, and therefore it can be hurt. And therein lies 'The Boogeyman’s' problem: It’s a movie about killing the thing that plagues you, instead of learning how to live with it."
The movie opens in several theaters across Maine on Thursday. To see showtimes, click here.
