Truly Dreadful Film

A lot of fun.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Pretty solid all around until we get to the ending, which sacrifices the rest of the film for some cheap shocks.

During some unexplained world wide pandemic, Stephanie (Shree Crooks) is home alone in desperate need of adult supervision. The opening kitchen scene was a parent's nightmare. We don't know what happened to her parents and her brother Paul is dead. Stephanie is haunted by a monster. We suspect what may be going on and clues start to come 30 minutes into the feature. Shree Crooks carried the film. I thought she did an excellent job in the role. Guide: No swearing or sex. Brief partial nudity (Anna Torv)

As a horror film, "Stephanie" was very slow in developing as it opened with a protracted sequence of a little girl struggling in the kitchen to make a smoothie in a blender. In appeared as though she might be a latch-key child and that this film would be recycling "Home Alone." Then, there was a plot twist that turned this bizarre drama into a most unpleasant film viewing experience.If there is a theme to the film, it might be summarized in the expression "the beast within." Apparently, a worldwide epidemic of monsters has invaded the psychés of young kids, destroying the moral and physical fabric of planet earth in the shape of what should be our future: our children. Much of the film's action is left vague with the nebulous "protocol" that is recommend for parents to deal with their unruly children. Other loose plot strands included what ever happened to Mr. Hooper? And why did little Stephanie suddenly turn on her little bro Paul?The film is worth comparing to a far superior Twilight Zone episode from 1961. The program is titled "It's a Good Life," and it includes an unforgettable performance by little Billy Mumy as a child with vast mental powers and who is not afraid to use them. This 30-minute television episode packed a greater emotional punch than the entirety of "Stephanie." The main difference was that in the creepy Billy Mumy character, we had a springboard for transforming the adults into exactly what they deserve, such as the memorable jack-in-the-box man. By contrast, the poor mother and father of "Stephanie" are victims who are more sinned against than sinning.The most interesting character in the film was the father figure, who genuinely cared about his daughter. In ancient Greek drama and mythology, there were timeless stories about parents and their children that resonated with universal psychological insights, such as the Oedipus archetype. "Stephanie" included no insights. It was pure sensationalism, superficial, and forgettable.

This one is a good movie! Of course we are talking about a horror movie...is not a masterpiece . But to be honest, the low ratings are not fair. Good acting, good story, suspense moments, twists and turns. I have seen very bad horror movies but this one is not one of them.