Better Watch Out

Better Watch Out follows teenage babysitter Ashley (Olivia DeJonge) as she arrives at a residential home to take care of a young boy named Luke (Levi Miller), with the evening taking a definite turn for the sinister after armed intruders make their way inside the house (although this ultimately turns out to be the least of the characters’ problems). It’s a fairly familiar premise that’s employed to consistently lackluster effect by director Chris Peckover, as the movie, though suffused with likeable protagonists, suffers from an overt lack of tension that drains the effectiveness from each and every scene. And although it does become clear that the suspense-free atmosphere exists for a reason, Better Watch Out segues into a midsection and second half that ultimately doesn’t fare a whole lot better (despite the inclusion of a genuinely surprising twist). The most obvious problem with the movie’s lackadaisical narrative lies in its inability to convincingly establish the threat, as there’s simply never a point at which the antagonist is able to become the fearsome and frightening villain that Peckover has clearly intended – with this problem compounded by a performance that remains wholly unimpressive from start to finish. And although the third act boasts a handful of appreciatively brutal kills, Better Watch Out closes on a fairly underwhelming note that confirms its place as a disappointing misfire.

** out of ****