"MR.SANDMAN" (2024) Makes Sleep Scary Again (REVIEW)
It’s fair to say that we are at our most vulnerable when we are asleep, and it’s why so many horror films focus on this as a means to deliver the scares. Films like “A Nightmare on Elm Street” gave our nightmares a name and a face, while films like “Jacob’s Ladder” distort reality and dreams into a seemingly inescapable torture chamber. Sleep and dreams are fertile ground for horror and perspective can change how that resonates with us. As we age, most of us develop a lesser fear of the dark, likely because the horrors of reality often pale in comparison to the unknown, but it is safe to assume that we were all at some point afraid of the dark and going to sleep. “Mr.Sandman” an independent production from Acre Films and filmmaker Matthew I. Schmidt invites us to experience the dark from the perspective of a young girl, but will this sandman put you to sleep or make you scared?
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
Did you ever fall asleep watching television in the living room as a child? You woke up and you were alone. You then had a long terrifying journey back to your bedroom. Going room to room, turning lights on and off as you go to not be consumed by the dark. Hearing noises, seeing shadows. It’s only your imagination… right? What if it wasn’t? What if there truly is something terrifying, lurking in the dark, waiting to come and get you?
HOW IS IT?
Regardless of opinion, it is undeniable that “Skinamarink” was onto something. It tapped into our childhood fears and placed the viewer in the shoes of young folks to re-experience the terror of the dark and how the mind distorts reality when our fears creep up on us. The thing is, “Skinamraink” was an exercise in experimental cinema more than narrative, which makes it hard to connect with and even harder to stay awake for. While we can’t confirm this, it stands to reason that “Mr.Sandman” was at least in part inspired by “Skinamarink,” while recognizing that its biggest flaw was being too long, and too ambiguous. Thankfully, “Mr.Sandman” corrects both wrongs and makes us once again afraid of the dark like when we were young.
“Mr.Sandman” is light on story, but heavy on vibes. The harbinger-like Grandmother tells Zoe (Hailey Kate Schmidt) that Mr. Sandman comes to take away children who stay up past their bedtime, a rather dark way to incentivize a child to go to bed. Like so many of us then and likely kids today, Zoe stays up and falls asleep on the couch only to wake up and realize that not only is she not in her bed, but the dark is playing tricks on her. The biggest strength of “Mr.Sandman” resides in the thoughtfully crafted POV of Zoe that the film focuses on. We see the world as she sees it, which means it is rife with imagined horrors and the need to expertly navigate the dark while also turning off the lights behind her. If you have ever had a similar experience of being afraid to go back to your room because you have to traverse the dark, all while making sure the lights are off so you don’t get reprimanded, then this will immediately resonate with you. The darkness plays a significant role in the look of the film, but it also hides some solid jump scare moments and simple, but effective makeup effects that put a face on Zoe’s fears.
As mentioned earlier, in opposition to “Skinamarink,” “Mr.Sandman” is a brisk 35-minute give or take, with some additional special features that play after the credits conclude. This is the perfect length for a story so contained and gives us a sense of just how much of a difference the length makes concerning this kind of story. As a low-budget feature, writer and director Matthew I. Schmidt demonstrates a lot of potential as a filmmaker by making good use of lighting that adds character to the intangible dark, and certainly knows how to work the camera to deliver some interesting shots and framing. There isn’t much to pick at with “Mr.Sandman” because of how concise it is, but it does suffer a smidge from the “Is this a dream or not” cycle of belief and disbelief. It’s a marginal at best critique for what is otherwise a solid, effective, and brisk piece of horror filmmaking.
LAST RITES
“Mr.Sandman” is the film that “Skinamarink” should’ve been, and does a superb job of placing the viewer in the vulnerable perspective of a young girl while making you recall just how terrifying the dark can be when you’re a kid.
THE GORY DETAILS
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Where can you watch it?
“Mr. Sandman” is available to watch for free with ads on TUBI and can be rented on Amazon Prime Video.
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