Slender Man (2018)

Movie Info

He’s coming for you, but do you even care?

Wren (Joey King), Hallie (Julia Goldani Telles), Chloe (Jaz Sinclair), and Katie (Annalise Basso) hate life in their small town.  At a sleepover, they decide to test the urban legend of the Slender Man by summoning him off of a website.  As the girls begin to see things that aren’t there, and Katie disappears, Hallie Wren, and Chloe realize that the urban legend might have truth behind it…and the Slender Man is coming for them!

Directed by Sylvain White, Slender Man is based upon the internet character who first appeared in a creepypasta internet meme in 2009 created by Eric Knudsen (who Hallie’s character was named after).  The film was released to negative reviews and an average box office return.  The film earned a Razzie nomination for Worst Supporting Actress (Jaz Sinclair).

Slender Man is a good “monster” and it is interesting to trace the modern urban legend since it can be fully documented.  The problem with Slender Man is inherent in the character however and the laziness of the film.

Guys…this is really boring. Let’s watch paint dry instead

The Slender Man character is confusing.  People summon him because they want to get away, but he’s evil?  It is kind of a like a reverse Pied Piper who follows the children out of town.  Unlike Bloody Mary, the monster is just really vague, and the movie doesn’t know what to do with it.  The characters just have random reactions to the Slender Man and crazy visuals…there is nothing compelling about the story.

The cast is also all over the place.  Many recent teen horror films have been blessed with strong, up-and-coming actor and actresses.  This film does have Joey King who has a “scream queen” in the making history, but the other actresses seem to struggle with the horror (but I once again blame the script more for that).  The movie also introduces a male character in Alex Fitzalan who completely fizzles out as a character in the plot and the addition of Hallie’s sister Lizzie played by Taylor Richardson further bogs down the movie.

If the movie was scary like this image, it would work (but it isn’t).

While internet visuals of the Slender Man are interesting, this movie relies too heavily on that concept for the scares.  It takes the “glimpses” overboard and often the imagery is too dark to really even see anything.  It also goes psychedelic at points with the Slender Man inducing visions which once again feel lazy instead of inspired.

Slender Man is a waste of time.  It could have had potential and a hardcore R-Rated horror might have aided the limp story.  Mostly, the film needed solid writing and a better guided view of the character (and the characters being tormented by him).  Stick to the internet pictures of the Slender Man or even some of the games if you want real scares and avoid the movie.

Related Links:

Beware the Slenderman (2016)