Little Evil
It seemed like a likeable horror comedy to me, nothing more, but with its own charm. It is not a huge film or a hidden gem, and it is certainly far from the freshness of Tucker & Dale vs Evil, but I also do not think one should ask more from it than what it offers. It is a light parody of evil-child stories, made to pass the time, laugh at its references and enjoy a satanic silliness that does not take itself too seriously.
The premise works because it is simple and recognizable: a man marries the woman of his dreams and suddenly has to become stepfather to a child who may be the Antichrist. There is a rather funny idea there, because it mixes supernatural fear with something very everyday: trying to be liked by your partner's child, feeling out of place in a family that was already formed and discovering that imposed fatherhood can be a little hell. In this case, literally.
What I liked most is that it understands the underlying joke well. Gary is not a horror hero, but a poor guy trying to do things right, even though everything around him screams at him to run away. Adam Scott has that clumsy, insecure and good-natured quality that makes the character likeable. His suffering as a stepfather is funny because it is presented through the domestic: living together, educating, winning the child over, surviving awkward silences and a mother who may not want to see the obvious.
The film lives a lot from its nods. The shadow of The Omen is very clear, but there are also echoes of The Shining, Poltergeist, The Exorcist, Ghostbusters and all that popular horror imagery that the film uses as a toy. They are not always subtle references, but they are recognizable and quite enjoyable if you enter the game. It made me laugh precisely when it embraced its nature as parody without trying to seem cleverer than it is.
I also appreciated some absurd details, such as the stepfather support group, which may be one of the funniest ideas. That way of taking a real family problem into the terrain of demonic nonsense gives it quite a bit of life. The parents talking about their everyday traumas, about how hard it is to fit into a house that was not yours and how to survive other people's children looking at you like an intruder has more spark than several of the more conventional horror scenes.
Evangeline Lilly is fine as a mother in love and rather blind to what is happening, although the character is not especially deep. The film uses her more as Gary's romantic ideal and as the engine of denial than as a figure with real complexity. Even so, she works within the tone. The boy, for his part, has that expressionless and sinister air the joke requires. He does not need to do much: just look, stay silent and seem to know more than he should.
The humor, however, is uneven. There are moments I found genuinely funny, others that simply made me smile and some that fall quite short. The film had a premise that could have been much wilder, more macabre and more memorable. Sometimes it seems as if it is going to go off the rails, but it slows down just when it could become something more mischievous. It remains in a friendly zone, a softened black comedy for streaming, and that limits its reach.
It also declines toward the end. The first part is funnier because it plays better with suspicion, family discomfort and references to horror cinema. When the plot enters more fully into cults, rituals and resolution, it loses part of its charm. It does not collapse, but it becomes more routine. The parody is still there, but it no longer surprises as much and some jokes begin to repeat themselves or lose strength.
Even so, I do not think it is fair to destroy it as if it had tried to be a great horror film or a revolutionary comedy. Its goal is quite modest: to make a light, satanic version of stepfather anxiety, laugh at The Omen and company, and provide a pleasant time without too many demands. On that level, it succeeds more often than it fails. It is nonsense, but conscious nonsense.
I understand those who see it as bland or wasted, because it could have been much better. It lacks nastiness, it lacks rhythm in some stretches and it has too many easy solutions. But I also understand those who defend it as an underrated comedy to watch with friends, because when you connect with its tone it has moments of real charm. It is not brilliant, but it is not a disaster either.
In the end, it remains for me a small, silly and likeable film. A parody of demonic-child stories that relies on Adam Scott, its references and the funny idea of turning stepfather life into a satanic nightmare. It is not scary, it is not always funny and it could have pushed much harder, but it is pleasant enough to watch. For me it is a minor, uneven comedy, but with enough good nonsense to pass.
The premise works because it is simple and recognizable: a man marries the woman of his dreams and suddenly has to become stepfather to a child who may be the Antichrist. There is a rather funny idea there, because it mixes supernatural fear with something very everyday: trying to be liked by your partner's child, feeling out of place in a family that was already formed and discovering that imposed fatherhood can be a little hell. In this case, literally.
What I liked most is that it understands the underlying joke well. Gary is not a horror hero, but a poor guy trying to do things right, even though everything around him screams at him to run away. Adam Scott has that clumsy, insecure and good-natured quality that makes the character likeable. His suffering as a stepfather is funny because it is presented through the domestic: living together, educating, winning the child over, surviving awkward silences and a mother who may not want to see the obvious.
The film lives a lot from its nods. The shadow of The Omen is very clear, but there are also echoes of The Shining, Poltergeist, The Exorcist, Ghostbusters and all that popular horror imagery that the film uses as a toy. They are not always subtle references, but they are recognizable and quite enjoyable if you enter the game. It made me laugh precisely when it embraced its nature as parody without trying to seem cleverer than it is.
I also appreciated some absurd details, such as the stepfather support group, which may be one of the funniest ideas. That way of taking a real family problem into the terrain of demonic nonsense gives it quite a bit of life. The parents talking about their everyday traumas, about how hard it is to fit into a house that was not yours and how to survive other people's children looking at you like an intruder has more spark than several of the more conventional horror scenes.
Evangeline Lilly is fine as a mother in love and rather blind to what is happening, although the character is not especially deep. The film uses her more as Gary's romantic ideal and as the engine of denial than as a figure with real complexity. Even so, she works within the tone. The boy, for his part, has that expressionless and sinister air the joke requires. He does not need to do much: just look, stay silent and seem to know more than he should.
The humor, however, is uneven. There are moments I found genuinely funny, others that simply made me smile and some that fall quite short. The film had a premise that could have been much wilder, more macabre and more memorable. Sometimes it seems as if it is going to go off the rails, but it slows down just when it could become something more mischievous. It remains in a friendly zone, a softened black comedy for streaming, and that limits its reach.
It also declines toward the end. The first part is funnier because it plays better with suspicion, family discomfort and references to horror cinema. When the plot enters more fully into cults, rituals and resolution, it loses part of its charm. It does not collapse, but it becomes more routine. The parody is still there, but it no longer surprises as much and some jokes begin to repeat themselves or lose strength.
Even so, I do not think it is fair to destroy it as if it had tried to be a great horror film or a revolutionary comedy. Its goal is quite modest: to make a light, satanic version of stepfather anxiety, laugh at The Omen and company, and provide a pleasant time without too many demands. On that level, it succeeds more often than it fails. It is nonsense, but conscious nonsense.
I understand those who see it as bland or wasted, because it could have been much better. It lacks nastiness, it lacks rhythm in some stretches and it has too many easy solutions. But I also understand those who defend it as an underrated comedy to watch with friends, because when you connect with its tone it has moments of real charm. It is not brilliant, but it is not a disaster either.
In the end, it remains for me a small, silly and likeable film. A parody of demonic-child stories that relies on Adam Scott, its references and the funny idea of turning stepfather life into a satanic nightmare. It is not scary, it is not always funny and it could have pushed much harder, but it is pleasant enough to watch. For me it is a minor, uneven comedy, but with enough good nonsense to pass.
Mini Review: It seemed like a likeable horror comedy to me, nothing more, but with its own charm. It is not a huge film or a hidden gem, and it is certainly far from the freshness of Tucker & Dale vs Evil, but I also do not think one should ask more from it than what it offers. It is a light parody of evil-child stories, made to pass the time, laugh at its references and enjoy a satanic silliness that does not take itself too seriously. The premise works...
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