tek's rating:

Better Watch Out (R)
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review sites: Bloody Disgusting; Dread Central; iHorror (2); Modern Horrors (2); PopHorror
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(Originally titled "Safe Neighborhood.") I watched this on Krampusnacht in 2018, my third annual tradition of watching a holiday horror movie on that night. Although I must say, the fact that this is set near Christmas is fairly incidental; aside from the decor (and caroling, at one point), it pretty much could have been set at any time of year. Nevertheless, it was pretty good.

So, there's a 17-year-old girl named Ashley, who is soon going to move away. But on one of her last nights in her hometown, she babysits a 12-year-old boy named Luke (whom she's been babysitting since he was 8). His parents, Robert (Patrick Warburton) and Deandra (Virginia Madsen), are going out to some holiday party, or something. But before that, we see Luke talking with his best friend, Garrett, and we learn that Luke has a major crush on Ashley, and hopes to seduce her before she moves away. Once Luke and Ashley are alone, strange things start happening, and it seems like some crazed slasher may be toying with them. But there are some twists in the plot, and... I can't really say any more without spoiling everything. (I'm glad I hadn't read enough about the movie to see the twists coming.) I will say the movie is fairly amusing and deeply disturbing, and kind of clever, I guess. And I don't know what else to say.


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