It's no masterpiece but it's not bad either.
It's more interesting than it is scary (I personally don't mind that though).
I'm glad they didn't put in a bunch of cheap jumpscares everywhere like a lot of movies do.
The characters are a bit flat and I honestly didn't really care much about them and not once was I actually worried about any of them. That's not a good sign.
It has a pretty interesting concept but there was just something missing. I'd say the main problem is that I just didn't care much about the characters, which is a big problem because if a character dies, no matter how awful the death scene might be, I simply won't care anyway.
This movie was kind of meh...which is sad because it had potential. Too bad.
I will say though that the kid is a good actor. Props for that.
I really don't like kids, but this Cody kid was so cute with his cute little voice.
Onde estão as pessoas que sumiram?
Where are the missing people?
The setup is intriguing, and the first half explores some interesting ideas. Whats fascinating about the initial setup is the relationship between the three central characters - the grieving parents and adopted child - and how the film takes quite an uncomfortable approach in how it deals with the concept. The horror here is equally in how the grieving parents use the child's gift/curse as much as the inevitable supernatural horror that is presented. It is a shame then that the final half pretty much undoes all of that great work and becomes pretty generic, with a final five minutes that spoils a lot of what has come before with unnecessary explanations and plot points that make no sense given what has come before. A frustrating film.
Not scary at all, but an ok thriller and a really nice way to wrap up the story.
What a disaster. I'm completely floored that the same person who created the masterpiece "Oculus", also created this trainwreck of a movie.
There is not really much to say about this movie, nor will I make much effort trying to do so. The storyline is completely insane. Probably one of the most ludicrously executed plots I have ever witnessed. Seriously, if you watch movies for story, then don't see this.
The characters are among the most unbelievable and unlikeable bunch I have ever seen. I wanted to kill half the cast with my bare hands. And the other half was just awful too. So seriously, if you watch movies for the characters, then don't see this.
Which brings me to "the feels" of this movie. It is as cheesy as it gets. And then some. It tries it's absolute hardest to pull on your heart strings, and it fails so spectacularly at it that it quickly becomes annoying really fast. Unless you like them powty-mouthed kids who speaks as if they have put one too many crayons up their cute little button noses, of course. And because there is zero chance of connecting on any level with any of the characters, or the story for that matter, this problem only gets worse. At the end, when the movie predictably falls apart completely, believe me, you wish you could get your hands on that kid :-) so, if you like atmosphere in your movies, don't see this.
Oh and the scary stuff? One scene definitely made me jump, otherwise it's more of a (very very bad) drama movie of sorts. But with almost no drama. I think you get the point. So if you're looking for something scary, definitely don't see this.
If you haven't gotten the point yet, then I will be upfront: Just don't see this movie.
It wasn't so much of a horror but it was interesting and with a heartfull ending.
Effective chiller with a heart. A rarity in this world of cookie cutter horror movies.
1 of the few new horror films that worth its money!!
interesting till the end!!
This movie lived up the expectations. A truly unique concept which kept me hooked until the very end. Jacob Tremblay is a great little actor.
Butterflies are beautiful insects... My first horror that I can say was beautiful, and creepy at the same time.. It had some great effects, sad at moments... Cranker man is out to eat you, you can't sleep or you can't be awake.. all well you're fu*@*ed!!! haha
This was SO MUCH BETTER than I expected; horror with a fantasy twist and it actually worked. I always get disappointed by horror movies with unique concepts because they don't hold up in the end, but this one didn't let me down. I was waiting for it to get bad, but it's interesting all the way through. I liked it a lot.
Unlike many other horror movies, this one is only a few that contains a good storyline. Amazing and touch full.
I can see early seeds for Flanagan's latter works here. The visuals are surprisingly good, and there are attempts to ground the horror in trauma and symbolism. Unfortunately, it doesn't fully build an effective atmosphere, often feeling more like magical realism and a fairy tale than horror. The characters are also not very developed or engaging. I think you can track Flanagan's improvement over time, and this movie is where you really start to see his control over imagery, but it isn't close to one of his stronger works.
This is a must see for anyone who is new to Mike Flanagan. Awesome story, creepy moments, and really cool visuals!
Such a beautiful movie. I like how it’s supposed to be horror but also has an emotional storyline.
My opinion, not really a horror. Great movie that shows how being sick can make someone look like a monster from a little kids point of view. I think the end would make anyone tear up.
Bad. Just all around bad. Definitely a swing and a miss for Mike Flanagan.
Packed with horror clichés, cheap story telling and mediocre acting at best, Before I Wake is spooky for 90 so minutes then you forget it forever.
Really boriiing.... The actress has a pokerface without a sign of any emotion.
Legion, is it you? Towards the end it felt like I was watching a superhero's backstory. You know, like a sort of X-men/Legion's origins... Mainly because this kid's got powers and no one around him is ever scared or even concerned! I suppose in this universe mutants do exist...
very similar to the movie: A monster calls.
if you watch it as a really weird fairy tale, and not as horror movie, it is a good film
i love it !!! best movie ever <3
It's such a cheap psychology, but i like it. I like it a lot! Great movie, can't deny it.
Unlike many other horror movies, Before I Wake is one of a few that contains a good storyline throughout the movie. #ShiftvW8
a very interesting story and that ending really explain everything,i hope i don't get CANCER :). worth the time!
Review by ElliotVIP7BlockedParent2018-10-07T10:29:35Z— updated 2019-06-02T11:41:55Z
I'm quite surprised to see so many high ratings for this film - 10/10? Best film ever? Really??
This film had a germ of a good idea and the special effects are a plus point, there are even some solid jump scares. That said, the characters are pretty flat and underdeveloped (an antagonist for the main kid character, Cody (Jacob Tremblay), is literally just referred to as "bully" and is a generic character with no rhyme nor reason to be picking on Cody) and the storyline feels like it could have done with about an extra half hour to unfold more, e.g. it was quite ridiculous that grieving parents Jessie and Mark, played by Kate Bosworth and Thomas Jane, just accepted and immediately exploited Cody's special powers, as if superpowers are a very unremarkable thing. I think perhaps one of the biggest WTF moments for me was when Cody's dreams killed Mark but Jessie didn't take a moment to morn him or feel angry at Cody for taking her husband away from her, especially after she had tragically lost her biological son. She even ends the film continuing to live with and look after him!
As for the ending, it was OK and probably sounded better on paper than the actual execution. There was also no explanation for why the kid had these powers; it just was, as if that was all that was needed.
If you've got a spare 90 minutes or so and want to watch something fairly unchallenging and that is occasionally creepy, then Before I Wake fits the bill. Beyond that, though, there are plenty of better films out there. I found the plot too ropey and the characters too flat to recommend this outside of a "it's not terrible but it's not great".