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MOVIE REVIEW

Slender Man

MPA Rating: PG-13-Rating (MPA) for disturbing images, sequences of terror, thematic elements and language including some crude sexual references.

Reviewed by: Pamela Karpelenia
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Extremely Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: • Young Adults
Genre: Supernatural-Horror
Length: 1 hr. 33 min.
Year of Release: 2018
USA Release: August 10, 2018 (wide—2,000+ theaters)
DVD: October 30, 2018
Copyright, Screen Gems, a division of Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainmentclick photos to ENLARGE Copyright, Screen Gems, a division of Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment Copyright, Screen Gems, a division of Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment
Relevant Issues

Possible negative effects of supernatural horror movies on young minds

Who is the Enemy of manking that seeks to sow deception and fear in people’s minds? Answer

What are DEVILS and DEMONS in the Bible

FEAR, Anxiety and Worry—What does the Bible say? Answer

Copyright, Screen Gems, a division of Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment Copyright, Screen Gems, a division of Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment Copyright, Screen Gems, a division of Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment Copyright, Screen Gems, a division of Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment Copyright, Screen Gems, a division of Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment Copyright, Screen Gems, a division of Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment Copyright, Screen Gems, a division of Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment
Featuring Joey King … Wren
Javier Botet … Slender Man
Annalise Basso … Piper
Julia Goldani Telles … Hallie
Jaz Sinclair … Chloe
Kevin Chapman … Mr. Jensen
Taylor Richardson … Lizzie
Michael Reilly Burke … Hallie’s Dad
Jessica Blank … Hallie’s Mom
Kallie Tabor … Allison Riley
See all »
Director Sylvain White — “Stomp the Yard” (2007), “I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer” (2006)
Producer Mythology Entertainment
Madhouse Entertainment
See all »
Distributor
Screen Gems
Screen Gems
, a division of Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment

He has no face. He has no face!

This film opens with a group of gal pals—Wren (Joey King), Piper (Annalise Basso), Hallie (Julia Goldani Telles), and Chloe (Jaz Sinclair)—that look strangely similar to cast of “The Craft.” These girls appear bored by conventional wisdom and the world around them. One overhears that boys in their circle have plans that exclude the girls. So, the girls decide that they are going to copy them and summon Slender Man (an unknown demonica> evil being). They learn that they must watch a video (similar to “The Ring”), follow simple directions and listen for bells. After doing so, the girls experience a truly dark, demonic and deeply immersive experience, leaving them forever changed.

This is the introduction to what amounts to a sinister endeavor preying on the naïveté of teenagers dabbling with works of Satan.

The acting is satisfactory. However, the characters are underdeveloped. The plot is deceptively simple and leads the audience—masquerading as just another teen horror movie. However, underneath is a ritualistic, unnerving film that may lead a spirituality unarmed people down a dark path.

There is a lot of objectionable content. It centers around what happens when people invite evil into their lives, and, instead of calling out to the Jesus, they put themselves above God and think that they can solve their own problems—to their own destruction.

The teens use very abrasive language—some sexual in nature. One teen is shown in a sexual position with another student.

The overarching theme of summoning something from the other side and bringing it into their lives is highly objectionable. Opening up one’s self to demonic presences is never a good idea, and goes against God’s Word.

I do not recommend this film. It tries to pawn itself off as a mish-mash of better horror films (“The Craft,” “The Ring”) which are also dark in nature, but this film is darker and grows darker.

  • Occult: Extreme
  • Vulgar/Crude language: Heavy— • f-word • s-words (5) • “sh*thole” • “It’s a sausage fest over there” (referring to male genitals), “circle jerk”
  • Profane language: Heavy— • “J*sus” • “d*mn” (2) • “H*ll”> (3)
  • Violence: Very Heavy
  • Nudity: Moderate
  • Sex: Moderate
Editor’s Note: In 2014, a near murder of a Wisconsin girl (19 stab wounds) was committed by two 12-year old girls to please the supernatural Slender Man, who they believed was real. This movie is not specifically about that case. However, the father of the victim and the father of one of the attackers have both taken a public stand against the release of this movie. Over 19-thousand people signed a public petition asking the CEO of Sony Pictures to cancel release of this film.

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


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Secular Movie Critics
…the most perfunctory horror picture I’ve seen in some time. It’s not even worth making a “thin gruel” joke about. …The character’s possible amusement value…is severely hindered by a recent real-life attempted murder case in which two preteen girls, inspired by Slender Man fiction, stabbed a classmate. That the director Sylvain White and the writer David Birke felt justified in moving ahead with this project anyway says pretty much what you think it does about ambition in Hollywood.…
Glenn Kenny, The New York Times
…group of teenagers…bereft of personality and drama… Scares follow a strict “you think he’s there, but then he’s HERE” formula…
Andrew Whalen, Newseek
…“Slender Man” is the kind of movie in which images come before logic, because there really isn’t much logic. There’s just a movie out to goose you. …a fundamentally derivative and empty-headed horror film…
Owen Gleiberman, Variety
…The film mostly tests viewers’ ability to stay awake — and the one or two actual creepy moments it has up its sleeve come far, far too late to be potent. …
John DeFore, The Hollywood Reporter
…a terrible movie… “Slender Man” isn’t just bad, it’s also disappointing. …fails spectacularly… tasteless… [D]
David Ehrlich, IndieWire
…flat-out dull…
Jesse Hassenger, The A.V. Club
…a big disappointment…
Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic
…this profoundly not-scary horror film completely misses the mark about what makes its subject matter interesting… [1½]
Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service
…“Slender Man” is garbage… more frustrating than watchable… [D]
Mark Salcido, Screen Geek