Sleepy Hollow (Before I Wake) 2016

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3174376/



Really liked this one.
I think it actually pulled off what most movies in this genre fail to do: a satisfying ending. Most horror flicks, psych thrillers, or horror dramas always seem to mess up the finale, and that’s usually where they fall apart.

It isn't your typical horror movie. Not sure if this is a new trend (like Boy, though that didn't hit quite as hard), but they focus more on telling a real story rather than just relying on jump scares.

Definitely not a "thrill a minute" type of ride. The plot builds nicely. My favorite part about these kinds of films is that moment where you stop and think, "Wait, what happens now?" Like with Triangl, that feeling is perfect.

The director takes his time. He walks right along the line of clichés and predictability but keeps the quality high. It stays tense without overdoing the jump scares. It's super creative. This is honestly what Mom could have been if they hadn't completely botched the final act.

Highly recommend it if you're into horror-dramas. That kid playing the son is fantastic. The whole vibe reminded me a bit of Poltergeist with the kids. Not just because of the subject matter, but the atmosphere too. I wish they had leaned harder into the dream vs. reality aspect. We only really get that once or twice.

Anyway, like I said, the ending works. There's still a big question mark left hanging, but we'll talk about that once more people have seen it so we don't spoil anything.

I didn't exactly walk away a fan... It feels like they tried to grab everything at once—drama, psychological horror, fantasy, supernatural elements—and because they bit off more than they could chew, the whole thing ends up feeling thin and uninspired. Personally, I would have preferred if they leaned harder into the psychological thriller aspect or just stuck to the fantasy elements without throwing in all that paranormal nonsense.

They were clearly trying to ride the wave of "Babadook," but they ended up miles away from that vibe. Plus, the ending leaves this massive plot hole that makes the script feel totally illogical, and there were moments where those tired clichés about a deceased son really grated on my nerves. I’d give it a six out of ten.

It actually would have been interesting to see how this script turned out if it had been handled by someone like Thor 😁

P. S. They did the best they could with the ending given how much they lost their way, but they just couldn't patch up that one glaring inconsistency (which is probably the same one we're thinking of 😁 )

I have to disagree,
Toro hasn't made anything exciting or interesting in a long time. He seems to have run out of steam, so I wonder if he can actually deliver something fresh or even just his usual style.
Also, I think he'd probably go overboard with the CGI.
The amount used here is just right.

As for fantasy versus supernatural, I’d lean toward calling this supernatural. Just because there are pretty butterflies and spirits doesn't make it fantasy; it's more like a manifestation of the supernatural.

Regarding that hole, it's likely left unexplained. My best guess is that it represents passing time. SPOILERS:

Basically, everyone except the social worker is dead. She survived because she was still relatively fresh. The father and that little bully only live on through Mom's happy ending story—though you could argue they truly return once the kid develops some skills, if he ever does.

The movie was alright, I guess. The concept holds water, but there’s a massive gap left hanging. What actually happened to everyone Cancer Man swallowed? Why didn't they all just come back, like that social worker did?

Ashley Fox62 said:The movie was alright for me. The concept is solid, but there’s a bit of a plot hole. What actually happened to everyone that Cancer Man swallowed? Why didn't they all come back, like that social worker did?

SPOILER:

I blacked out the part above as a spoiler.
I think it's because they're just gone; too much time passed. And Cancer Man only targeted that worker that night right when the kid fell asleep and just before Mom got home, which makes sense.
But the ending itself is still a little fuzzy.

Does anyone have a link? 😁

I felt like the movie was just okay.

I’m still stuck on a massive plot hole, much like what
was pointing out...
SPOILER (highlight)... It turns out Cancer Man isn't actually a real entity, just a figment of the kid's imagination. He conjured him up after seeing his Mom's medical paperwork labeled 'cancer,' essentially turning the monster into a distorted reflection of his terminally ill mother right before she passed away. But that leaves us with a glaring issue: if Cancer Man is purely psychological, how do we account for the actual victims appearing in the real world?

Eric Hayes61 said:there's still a plot hole for me, just like with Wasp...

SPOILER (highlight)... Cancer man isn't actually real; he's just a product of the kid's imagination. It all started when he saw his mom's medical card with "Cancer" written on it. His look is really just his last memory of his sick mother and how she looked before she passed. The question remains: if Cancer man doesn't exist, how can there be victims in the real world?

It’s pretty clear you guys missed the biggest point of the movie.


His thoughts materialize. We see it when he's a baby and when his mom sees that blur. Even when he materializes little Sean, he's tangible—both Mom and Dad touch him. It's the same with the butterflies and when Cancer man pounds on the door and breaks in.
Basically, everything he dreams becomes real while he's dreaming. Then it vanishes when he wakes up.
Everything is real and tangible, so his thoughts, dreams, and ideas manifest. When he's happy, good things happen. When he's scared, negative things happen.

So Cancer man is clearly real. He vanished because his mom accepted him (and because the boy woke up at the end). But that's only while he's happy. Who knows what happens next, especially when he hits puberty.
The main thing is he finally found someone (a new mom) to guide him who actually understands the value of his gift.

I gotta say, I was honestly blown away by this movie.
The concept is killer, and man, that kid Jacob Tremblay? He’s incredible. After seeing how much he crushed it in Room, I knew he’d be good here, but he really outdid himself. The kid is just a natural; I honestly think he’s going to be an A-list superstar once he grows up.
Definitely check it out if you haven't yet. 🙂

Now, about that plot hole people are talking about—WATCH OUT FOR SPOILERS!

I think Edward Price6 actually nailed the explanation. Basically, everything the kid dreams about manifests in the real world and doesn't just vanish when he wakes up. Sure, the monsters and the people disappear, but the physical damage they cause stays behind—like that door getting trashed and stuff like that.
Personally, I loved the ending. It gives us a happy ending, but it isn't one of those cheesy, cliché Hollywood endings. It feels more... complete? Like the story wraps up nicely while still leaving the door open for both the good stuff, maybe bringing back the people eaten by Cancer man, and the bad stuff too.

In my estimation, the experience was quite exhausting—an absolute disaster, really. The boy spent the entire duration trying to get under my skin, and frankly, the film just lacks a certain essential spark.
...

That whole sequence involving the butterflies... honestly, give me a break.🤣

It seems both Bosworth and Jane have been drifting through some rather mediocre productions lately.

To felt more like a fantasy flick than a horror movie to me. What kind of horror even is this? It’s an alright movie, though.

Honestly, this is one of those rare horror—or mystery, or whatever you want to call it—movies that actually sticks the landing and wraps up the story properly. It doesn’t just leave you hanging. Plus, it dives deep into that psychological territory, looking at how much stuff can mess with a kid's head when they're seeing things they just don't have the context to understand yet.