Mama
A grieving guardian family battles a spectral mother whose fierce attachment to two feral girls turns protection into terror.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- eerie
- foreboding
- melancholic
- late night horror marathon
- haunted house double feature
What critics said
Critics generally found the film atmospherically effective and rich in old-school scares, while its confusing script and contrived plot weakened the overall impact.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Mama's attachment to Victoria and Lily turns maternal protection into haunting, dangerous control.
The opening fairy-tale framing, witch-like apparition, children in peril, and mournful backstory create a dark storybook register.
Mama appears through smoky tendrils, distorted movement, dark corridors, flickering lights, and other highly stylized apparitions.
Victoria and Lily are discovered after years alone in the woods and must adapt to guardianship and domestic life.
Films like Mama, and why
The Babadook
supernatural motherhood, endangered children, fairy-tale horror atmosphere
The Conjuring
old-school ghost scares, haunted domestic spaces, and emotionally driven supernatural menace
The Orphanage
gothic child peril, mournful ghosts, and visually stylized horror
Pan's Labyrinth
dark fairy-tale imagery, supernatural grief, and children confronting a monstrous figure
Movie Details
- Director
- Andy Muschietti
- Release Date
- 2013-01-17
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (4521)
Cast
- Jessica Chastain
- Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
- Megan Charpentier
- Isabelle Nélisse
- Daniel Kash
- Melina Matthews
- Morgan McGarry
- Javier Botet
- Jane Moffat
- David Fox
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Mama about?
- A grieving guardian family battles a spectral mother whose fierce attachment to two feral girls turns protection into terror.
- What is Mama like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Mama as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Mama violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Mama as moderate.
- What did critics think of Mama?
- Critics generally found the film atmospherically effective and rich in old-school scares, while its confusing script and contrived plot weakened the overall impact.
- Which films are like Mama?
- Films with a similar feel include The Babadook, The Conjuring, The Orphanage, and Pan's Labyrinth.
- How long is Mama?
- Mama runs 100 minutes.
- Where can I watch Mama?
- In United States, Mama is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
