I’ve talked before about Blumhouse and reviewed several of their films, and I’m generally a fan of their work. They’ve made some great films like Jordan Peele’s Get Out and Us, Split, Sinister, Whiplash, The Gift, and Upgrade. Of course, they’re known for their franchises like Insidious, Happy Death Day and Happy Death Day 2U, and The Purge. Granted, they’ve also put out bad movies like Unfriended, Ouija, and The Gallows, but no studio is perfect. Regardless of their overall quality, I admire Blumhouse for investing in smaller productions rather than spending millions on one film. Even if one of their films bombs like Jem and the Holograms, it’s not enough to complete sink the studio. I also respect how they take chances on otherwise ridiculous ideas and work with filmmakers that major studios would ignore. With that introduction out of the way, let’s look at their latest offering, Ma.
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Maggie (Diana Silvers) and her mother Erica (Juliette Lewis) have just moved from California to her mom’s hometown in Ohio. Not long after starting high school, she immediately makes friends with popular girl Haley (McKaley Miller) and her guy friends. They invite her to a private drinking spot, and they try unsuccessfully to get someone to buy booze for them. Eventually, they convince veterinary nurse Sue Ann (Octavia Spencer) to get booze for them, giving her the nickname “Ma”. Soon, Ma starts texting them and invites the teens to come party in her basement, which they agree to. Once their classmates starting coming and turning the basement into a real hotspot, Ma’s true nature starts to come through. As she grows crazier, the teens decide to block her, prompting her to go after them and their families. Soon, we learn what Ma’s true motivation is: revenge.
Between the poster and the trailers, it’s pretty clear that they’re bankrolling on the star power of their Oscar-winning lead. It’s easy to see why since Octavia Spencer is easily the best part of this otherwise sloppy and mediocre thriller. She almost perfectly walks the line between being sweet, friendly, and fun-loving, to psychotic, terrifying, and gleefully insane. It’s a shame that, as great as she is, the rest of the movie falls flat despite its potential. The rest of the cast, while not terrible, are mostly forgettable aside from Lewis, Luke Evans, and Allison Janney. While none of the teens are necessarily unlikable (Maggie is a decent lead), they feel more like archetypes than characters. Likewise, Tate Taylor (The Help, The Girl on the Train) directs the film competently, and there’s a few decent shots. From a film-making perspective, there’s nothing necessarily wrong here.
Honestly, the biggest problem with this movie is the tone, the movie seemingly not knowing what it wants to be. Through flashbacks, we find out that Ma was a victim of bullying, which led to her going crazy. It seems like the movie tries to give an anti-bullying message, but it’s wrecked by how ridiculous this movie gets. While there are some serious/scary moments here and there, it’s more funny and ridiculous than anything, creating tonal whiplash. It’s disappointing because it seems like this movie had potential to be great, but it never lived up to that. Given that Spencer was also a producer and she worked with Taylor on The Help, she clearly believed in it. Honestly, this might be good for a laugh or two, but don’t expect having nightmares anytime soon. Overall, Octavia Spencer’s performance slightly elevates Ma, but it’s a fairly mediocre and disappointing thriller.
