Written by Sialea Martinez, Staff Writer
After leaving audiences terrified with its trailer, Other Mommy has struggled to live up to expectations, instead becoming the subject of online criticism and ridicule.
Directed by Rob Savage and starring Jessica Chastain, Other Mommy follows an 8-year-old girl named Bela as she begins to encounter a supernatural entity known as “Other Mommy.” The entity looks and sounds identical to her mother, Ursula, and constantly tries to persuade Bela to allow it into her heart to become human. As the encounters become more sinister, Bela’s family begins to realize something is seriously wrong.
Prior to the movie’s release, the film debuted its trailer during screenings of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. The trailer left audiences terrified by its jump scares. People quickly took to social media to share their thoughts, with many warning others to be wary if they are easily spooked. The trailer also left the horror community anticipating what appeared to be a genuinely unsettling horror film.
However, following the film’s release on October 9, audiences began criticizing it. Many commented on how the storytelling, special effects, and jump scares were poorly executed. Some thought that the trailer was actually more enjoyable to watch than the film itself, while others began joking that certain scenes were more comedic than scary. The dichotomy between the trailer and the actual movie left many viewers feeling that the film failed to deliver on the expectations it had created.
One X user with the username @49Nudity commented, “This should’ve been a comedy.” Film critic Doug Jamieson was also unimpressed with the film, stating, “It really is terrible. The script was poor, the CGI was poor and it relied too much on jump scares. I couldn’t help but laugh at the ending.”
This criticism also reached the book community since Other Mommy was based on Josh Malerman’s 2024 horror novel, “Incidents Around the House.” Many readers were disappointed with the adaptation, complaining that the movie failed to capture the psychological horror that made the book so unsettling. Since the movie relies more heavily on jump scares and visual effects, it lost a lot of the original buildup of suspense and uncertainty that made the original story so effective.
The film also received negative reviews from professional critics. It currently has a 19% critics score and a 48% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics noted that the concept had more potential than what the film actually delivered. Despite the overall negative reception, Jessica Chastain’s performance received praise, with many critics acknowledging her acting even when the story itself fell short.
Despite the negative reviews, the film still managed to garner attention. The trailer had already brought the film into the spotlight, reaching audiences who may not have otherwise been interested in watching it. On opening weekend, Other Mommy grossed around $27.5 million dollars. Considering its $19 million dollar production budget, the movie performed relatively well at the box office and was considered a success.
The movie’s reception also raises questions about the relationship between marketing and audience expectations. Did the trailer intentionally mislead the audience into watching a subpar horror film? Regardless, the negative reviews, memes, and jokes have encouraged people to go out of their way to see the movie and find out if it truly is that bad.
What began as one of the year’s most talked about horror releases ultimately became an unserious, laughable film. Rather than leaving audiences afraid of what might be lurking in the dark, Other Mommy left many questioning how a film with such a promising premise could miss the mark so drastically.