Our next Christmas creep-fest is another clever film full of smart ideas and one of the all-time great cinematic rug-pulls that I will try not to spoil. 2016’s Better Watch Out seems like a straightforward festive home invasion flick, but soon turns out to be anything but. On an icy cold, snowy night just before Christmas, high school senior Ashley (Olivia DeJonge) is babysitting 12 year old Luke (Levi Miller) when the house comes under attack. Bricks are hurled through windows, threats are made, phones are cut off and soon some unseen marauder is in the house. Ashley has to summon all her strength and courage to try and defend the kid - who has a totally cute crush on her - but starts to realise all is not as it seems, as the film throws a very inventive curve ball that you might see coming if you’ve been paying attention.
The first half feels like the classic opening of Scream with an unseen intruder terrorising the house, keeping us guessing as to who or what is out there. There’s also some smart nods to Home Alone with Luke and his geeky buddy Garrett (Ed Oxenbould) discussing the feasibility of using paint cans as weapons and some fun involving a spider crawling about the house’s nooks and crannies.
It’s exciting watching Luke and Ashley duck and dive around the house with Luke trying his damnedest to act heroic to try and impress his crush. It’s adorable watching his pre-teen cluelessness as he attempts to be gallant while oblivious to the fact that any romance between them would be hella inappropriate.
I can’t fault the excellent build-up, but the film starts to run out of steam once the bombshell revelation is dropped about halfway in. The twist is startling but the film doesn’t seem to know how to keep things as exciting after that, though I do enjoy discovering the answer to the paint can question.
It's enjoyably Christmassy with bountiful fairy lights, decorations, carolers and a light-up Santa ornament all playing important parts in the plot. Though this story could perhaps have taken place at any time of year, the dark, snowy backdrop definitely adds to the freaky air of isolation and hopelessness. On this cold Winter’s night you can run for it, but how far will you get out there with no coat or sweater on?
Like P2 before it, this one also feels like a damning indictment of where our culture seems to be heading, particularly with regards to attitudes towards women – when will the babysitters get a break? It’s satisfying to see Ashley take a lot of punishment, hold firm and make it out the other side. It’s also cool seeing what these kids are capable of in harrowing life or death situations.
Better Watch Out doesn’t quite achieve ‘classic’ status, but is still well worth a watch. If anything, it’s a chilling reminder that the home invasion scenario that seems such a hoot in Home Alone is actually a bloody terrifying prospect and not cute at all.
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