Mama ( Spoilers)

I don't like horror movies. My wife, talked me into seeing this. Despite the fact she had seen it before, and described the plot to me. I actually enjoyed it very much. Which shows my wife, often knows what is best for me.

Firstly I saw this in English which changed my perception of it. Actually it was not bad. It was not a bad film at all. Firstly it was produced under the aegis of Gullimero del toro. I am a big fan of the Hell boy films/

Secondly it was well cast. The Kingslayer from Game of Thrones. Playing a dual role.
Credit should also go to the two young actresses. Playing the children in the film.  They performed very well. One scene that sprang to mine, was the little sister sleeping, half chewing her older siblings hair.

There was a reference to sector ZZ plural alpha. Which as we know is Earth in the Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy universe.

The story is simple. A father, having being ruined and gotten into a murderous confrontation with his employers, takes his two daughters with him, to the woods, to die. As the father is about to pull the trigger on his child. Something kills him. The two children, are raised in the woods, by something which cares for them.

Fast forward a few years and the Kingslayers . Sorry I will stop, however I am a fan of the character. I appreciate Nikolai Coster Waldu performance in the series. My wife who does not watch Game of Thrones, also gave Nikolai a rave review for his acting,
Anyway the Uncle is still looking for his nieces  Said regicide is shacked up with a guitarist from a rock band.  Well, while searching the woods. The two girls are discovered alive. After winning custody. The uncle and his Girlfriend, become the children's caregivers.

Well one of there caregivers.... As the Children are established in a home provided rent free so the two girls can be studied.

More should have been made of this. The shrink, is using the girls, somewhat.

This is the strength of the film. Its an exploration of motherhood.  We accompany a wanna-be rock star.  (Annabel `` I'm not your mom'' A beer drinker and dope smoker become a mother. A mother to two children she did not bear, nor is bound by wedlock too.  She goes from thanking a diety she does not believe in, that she is not pregnant to asking the shrink if the two under tens in her care are dangerous, to risking her life for them. She cooks and cleans, and caresses the Girls. She them.

My wife wanted to know if a bloodhound would be able to find a scent that was years old.
I was skeptical but I presumed, the dog would be looking for a corpse.

There are lots of Del Toro touches. The pile of cherries. The insect like movements of the two girls when they are discovered. Oh, and Mama the antagonist of the series is spidery and spindle like.

I was reminded of my old job. There is a scene in which the Dr visits an archive. I used to work in the storage area of a large library.  The Archive here contains the corpse of a baby. The archivist notes that she is not religious person but the place for human remains is not on a shelf. I agree with that. The Archivist then contradicts herself by talking about Ghosts. So she believes in some form of afterlife but not God? While I am on the subject, its one of my bette noirs but the archivist calls the Doctor whom is studying the girls, with information. ...
Information she cannot send by email?

I was somewhat annoyed by the ending. Which is actually horrible, Mama has basically destroyed several lives. She she saved two. That does not excuse the murder of others.
Nor does it satisfy the curiosity of the District attorney. The Girls are a high profile case.

****

That said I enjoyed it. I am glad my wife and I went to see it. A strong 8.