When someone tells you not to think about something or not to talk about something it is the hardest thing not to do. This is exactly what “The Bye Bye Man” is all about. If you think about him or if you talk about him he will know. After college students Elliot and his girlfriend Sasha move in together with their friend John to a creepy old house their lives are changed forever. Elliot begins to notice that their is something strange going on when he finds a name scribbled in his antique nightstand left by the original owners. He wasn’t expecting to have his world turned upside down with just saying that name. The Bye Bye Man!
If Stacy Title was going for a horror comedy she would’ve hit the nail right on the head but unfortunately this is categorized as a horror thriller. By my standards this film didn’t even come close to that. Originally “The Bye Bye Man” was based off of a short story entitled “The Bridge to Body Island”. Until I read a portion of this story myself I didn’t understand certain aspects of the film. That being said, how is anybody supposed to understand certain things about the film before reading the short story first.
I was not really familiar with the cast and their acting seemed forced and not natural. The only good part to the cast was Doug Jones and his exceptional way of always creeping me out with his characters. In person he is the sweetest guy but on screen he always brings the creepy factor of the film up a notch. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to keep this film afloat for me. Perhaps if I had gone into the screening expecting to see a comedic horror film I would be okay with it as being just that. There was more laughter from the audience than screams.
2 out 5 stars.
Second Review by Don Guillory
Each day we see or read about a shocking event where we see seemingly ordinary people commit horrendous acts. In many cases, there is no clear cut explanation as to the events. There is mystery surrounding the circumstances. It leaves us all with a sense of uneasiness as to whether or not something like that could be visited upon us. Can we trust our neighbors, family, and friends? What is it that would provoke any of them to strike out against us?
In Bye Bye Man, we bear witness to how an apparition controls people, distorting their sense of reality to bring harm upon others. The figure is mysterious and there is no clear understanding of who he is and why he makes people act out in the ways that they do. As a group of college friends move into a house on campus, they quickly become consumed by this spirit and begin their descent into his tangled web.
The film is an ambitious attempt to create an original piece in the horror genre. Sadly, it falls flat in many aspects. The plotline is not only shallow, but hollow. It gives the feeling that this was a student film that received funding to turn it into feature length film. The story is so simple that it is frustrating to watch. It is very predictable and does not allow for a depth that would be needed in a film that wants to secure itself in building a franchise. There is very little that is memorable about the film or anything that would make a viewer want to recommend it to others or view it afterward.
Horror films must have the right balance storytelling and shock factor in order to suck fans in. With Bye Bye Man, there is a solid imbalance. Combined with the banal acting, character development, and development of the story, I have little doubt that the Bye Bye Man will survive past its opening weekend.
2/5
