BABYSITTER WANTED (2008) ** a new twist on the babysitter-in-peril genre? by DARK SIDE

Yep, it is a new twist, but I wouldn’t consider it a great movie. What makes it noteworthy is the plethora (I love using that word) of positive reviews from horror aficionado sites across the interwebs. I can’t say I agree with my fellow colleagues, but I can see where they are coming from. Perhaps, this isn’t a film for me, but it certainly might be a film for you…

Angie (Sarah Thompson), a nice religious girl from the sticks, ventures out of her element to attend a far off community college with a decent art history program. Low on money and in desperate need for a new bed, she decides to look for a job. Amidst an ominous pegboard full of missing female student fliers, she finds a sheet reading “Babysitter Wanted” and tears off the number. She travels to the remote countryside to meet the friendly couple and their creepy son, Sam who always wears his cowboy hat. The amiable couple finds Sarah likable and they hire her on the spot. Later while Sarah watches over the seemingly mute Sam, a man covered in scars and holding a ceremonial dagger breaks into the house. As Angie fights to survive the night, she learns that all is not what it appears to be.
To explain anymore would reveal too much. Heck, if I even told you that this movie is a direct cross between “Halloween” and “________________” or “________________” you’d figure out the whole thing and probably wouldn’t bother seeing it. I initially guessed wrong in figuring this would turn out as some American rip-off of “High Tension” and I’m glad for that. However, the twist came across as silly, gimmicky and added very little to the genre. Throw in false jump scares during the first half of the movie and some bad acting by one actor in particular and you’ve got an overhyped indie horror flick.

Two things worth noting: 1. Sarah Thompson makes a great scream queen. 2. The one scene where she gets to watch another girl get field dressed like a deer is one of the most brutal of its type I’ve seen in awhile (the filmmakers must’ve done their homework for that sequence).

It has some fun moments and less jaded horror fans will probably have a blast with it. I require a higher grade of innovation, both plot wise and stylistically, with horror films retreading a familiar path. Be on the lookout for genre icons Bill Mosley as the heroic local sheriff and Nana Visitor (recently Jason’s Mother in the “Friday the 13th” remake) in a very small cameo as Angie’s bible-beating mother.

“Babysitter Wanted” is currently available on Cable/Satellite video-on-demand services with a DVD release expected soon.

2 out of 5

Trailer below…

As I watched “Babysitter,” it reminded me of a much better film. If you want to see something truly original and horrific, check out the amazing “Sheitan” (2006 *****) It’s bizarre, shocking and like the best horror films in the past few years, it’s French. Watch the trailer which unfortunately doesn’t give you a great feeling for this wild film…


Look at me… I’m a twist clue!

-Dark Side