Available since October 2017, The Babysitter is a film that is to be placed on the side of the horror comedy for teens. A very honest and uninhibited entertainment offered by the platform and its director, the experienced McG.
An interesting wedding
If we look at the history of cinema, it is easy to see that comedy and horror have been associated many times. Indeed, there are quite a few productions that marry the two genres. When you undertake these kinds of projects, it's all a question of dosage. From Shaun of the Dead to The Gremlins, many productions have enjoyed public and critical success.
It is therefore on this ground that Netflix has decided to invest by offering The Babysitter. The film tells the story of Cole, a young boy, who, despite his status as a teenager, is still guarded by a babysitter, who goes by the nickname Bee. The latter does not leave the young boy insensitive. But he is far from imagining that she is part of a cult and that her interest in him is motivated by the idea of human sacrifice…
In its beginning, the film has the appearance of a romantic comedy. We then find all the ingredients inherent in this genre: a young teenager who feels bad about himself who begins to feel something for a very extroverted woman and older than him. Indeed, Bee ticks all the boxes of the perfect woman in Cole's eyes. She shares his passion for science fiction and seems to consider him a normal person, unlike the classmates at his school who made him a plague. At the age when we discover her first emotions and wonder about sexuality, Bee is the girl who represents her greatest fantasy.It is by wanting to spy on him in the middle of the night that the teenager will discover his true nature. Then follows a struggle to survive this night.
A very rhythmic comedy
From that moment, everything starts and the nice little romantic comedy for teens turns into a horror movie, with a good big dose of humor. Whether by his technical cutting or his graphic staging of the murders, McG aims right. It's not cheap horror but extremely gory scenes that fit really well with the humor that runs through the whole. By its plot, we find ourselves facing a film that reminds in many ways of Mom, I missed the plane with a child who will have to get rid of a gang of evil individuals without any outside help.
The feature film is very rhythmic and very effective. Nevertheless, and despite its rather short duration (the film lasts 1h20 without the end credits), some lengths are felt halfway through where some scenes can be considered as filler.
On the horror side, the film is not so scary except for the very bloody crimes. There is not so much tension during the film because the threat is detectable at any time. Even if this aspect could have been better treated, it is really not where to look for the interest of the film. On the side of the actors, there is an actress well known to teenagers, Bella Thorne, who plays the role of a very superficial girl who is part of the cult. The two main roles, the young boy trapped at home and the babysitter, are played respectively by Judah Lewis and Samara Weaving.
By directing The Babysitter, McG perfectly follows its specifications and succeeds in its bet to make people laugh and entertain. Nevertheless, the film can be criticized for some lengths.
