“Better Watch Out” I smirked to myself as I pulled it off the shelf, thinking I was clever. I’m not very funny, or clever as it turns out, but easily amused if you can’t tell.

This one was never going to be on top of my “to-watch” list. A Christmas Comedy Horror? Yeah, no. Put the words “Christmas Comedy” together in any context, and I’m already half checked out. Add “horror” into the mix, and… No.

But then there’s Virginia Madsen. And this site. So, yeah, here we are. Again.
Released in 2016, Better Watch Out is a [ahem] Christmas comedy-horror flick that made some waves in certain circles when it first hit. It didn’t quite break into the mainstream, but it had enough buzz to pique my interest. The film stars Olivia DeJonge as Ashley, a babysitter, and Levi Miller as Luke, her 12-year-old project for the night.

Luke has a bit of a crush on his 17-year-old babysitter, Ashley, and in classic horror-trope style, he’s convinced that with a little setup of a cozy horror movie marathon and “protection” from scary noises outside, he’ll be able to win her over. It’s a cute idea, or creepy, and definitely cringey.

As the plot unfolds, things take a dark turn. Instead of your typical lighthearted teen “romance”, strange things start happening outside the house. It soon becomes clear that things aren’t what they seem. If you’re familiar with the site, you know I’m all about leaving surprises intact. So let’s just say there’s an early twist that changes the whole tone of the story and turns it into something way darker than a typical “home invasion” setup. In it’s defence, it’s a Christmas horror film that actually pulls off a fresh take, blending horror, comedy, and psychological thriller in surprisingly balanced doses. And, that’s pretty high praise coming from me with this kind of film.

Virginia Madsen plays Deandra Lerner, Luke’s mother, and while it’s a relatively small role, she makes her presence known in those brief appearances, mainly in the beginning and end. Obviously, with Luke needing a babysitter, Deandra’s offscreen for much of the film, but Virginia brings her usual mix of warmth and just-right suburban-mom vibe, briefly.

No Oscars for anyone here, but thanks to Virginia Madsen, a touch of class.
Films like these are never going to change my mind about the whole sub-genre of them – BUT – As I said, this one gets a nod for at least trying to do something different. The twist I didn’t really expect and so maybe a nod, and a smile.

Bah humbug.

Availability:

Good on DVD and Blu-Ray – You shouldn’t have any problems with this one at all.

Trailer:

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