The Caretaker (I) (2016) User Reviews

good acting wasted on a dull storyline

[sjarja · 5/10 · 9 October 2016]

I did like the actors and their acting. It was quite believable in context of what was going on. I also liked their communication - which was not forcibly poor to further the plot. (poor communication being one of the main tools in most horror movies i know to actually create tension...) Sadly though - i did not care a bit for the story the movie told. It committed the sin of being "simply boring". No real twists and turns, no build up of tension, and the climax felt rather "mehh". I caught myself checking the time several times during that movie.

The idea of the movie is not really new .. the execution is ... in my opinion ... textbook... sadly textbook as in "been there, done that - a hundred times..." Whats left is what can only be called mediocre.

Good start, then never picks up pace. I liked Sean "G-eazy-Leto" Martini tho!

[Finfrosk86 · 4/10 · 29 September 2016]

The Caretaker starts out pretty well, I think.. It looks good, doesn't look especially low budget, the acting is OK, it had an overall creepiness to it, I gave it a chance. (I have seen my fair share of small horror flicks, I usually get a feeling pretty fast) Yeah, well it starts out good, you're led to believe there is something really creepy going on, and then.. well, then almost nothing more happens.

I mean, stuff does happen, the movie isn't directly boring, it's just way to tame. It's more like a drama than horror. A movie can work without the big horror scenes and jump-scares and stuff, but then it has to have everything else really locked down. And while the actors do a decent job and all, it's not enough. There are a couple of scenes that are pretty creepy, I'll give it that, but it just seems like the movie is stuck in the beginning part for the whole thing. You know, the beginning part of a horror movie where just small stuff happens.

I do want to talk a little bit about Sean Martini, tho. He is the boyfriend of the main character, and he is sort of a main character himself, and I thought he was pretty good. He kind of looks like a cross between G-eazy and Jared Leto, he looks good. Skinny, but good. His acting, although not mind blowing, is pretty natural and not too acty. The girl, Meegan Warner is alright too, but I liked the guy the best. The old woman, eh, she overplays a tad, but OK.

So, for pretty much the whole first half+, I was pretty entertained, but then it didn't pick up pace at all, and then when the mystery is revealed, it's just not that cool, and the ending is pretty cliché.

So yeah. At first I was like: yeah, this is pretty cool, kind of creepy. But then I was like: Aaaw, come on, can something big happens soon? And just to be clear, one of the stars in this rating is for Sean Martini.

Weak, so weak.

[Patient444 · 4/10 · 5 October 2016]

What started nicely, with a good premise, an used subject but still a scary and effective one yet today, managed to reach none of its potential and simply got confused and annoying.

I was intrigued indeed, perhaps I found something better and as the minutes were passing I felt more and more curious about the situation. Won't take long until you'll realize that there is no end point, no twist, no explanation, just the finishing line, leaving so many questions behind.

As for the characters, if at start you got to know them, to care for some, in the end they all become a big mess of a cliché. I was happy that the movie finally ended, because it was clear I wasn't going to get what I was hoping for. Not recommended from my point of view. Completely missed opportunity here.

Cheers!

Dark secrets in the family's past...

[paul_haakonsen · 3/10 · 7 October 2016]

"The Caretaker" starts out well enough, but after a fairly interesting start, then the air seems to seep out of the creative balloon and the movie just declines downhill from there. It is as if the movie never really managed to fully manifest a firm foothold and it just slipped between the hands of director Jeff Prugh.

The story is about young Mallorie (played by Meegan Warner) whom returns to her childhood home with her boyfriend in order to take care of her elderly grandmother Birdie (played by Sondra Blake) as her health is on the decline. But there are dark secrets looming over the household.

For a horror / thriller movie, then "The Caretaker" was frightfully devoid of anything even remotely scary of even close to being just the least bit thrilling. For a movie in this genre, then "The Caretaker" failed to impress and will just quietly go unforgotten into the darkest recesses of the movie collection.

What did stand out in the movie was the performance by Sondra Blake. She really stood out in this generic and mundane horror movie with her impressive performance.

The effects in "The Caretaker" were sparse and far in between. But whatever was there was used well enough in advantage of the movie. But it was a shame that they didn't allocate a bigger budget for special effects and practical effects, because such is usually a big part of a horror movie for it to be convincing.

Sad to say, but your attention will be tested throughout the course of the movie, because it is very tempting to pick up the phone for example and just check the social medias or something, because there is so little going on in the movie, that your attention will eventually start to falter and wander.

As I mentioned earlier, then "The Caretaker" is not an impressive movie nor a memorable movie in the horror / thriller genre. And there are far, far better similar movies available.

The movie's cover does look quite interesting, although it oversells the movie. So don't judge a movie by its cover!

"The Caretaker" managed to score a mere three out of ten stars from me. And I can honestly say that the movie, should you manage to get through it to the end, does not support more than just a single viewing.

Everything is bad

[berg-74532 · 2/10 · 25 August 2019]

The story is weak and never really defined, the dialogue seems to be made up as they go along the acting is incredibly bad with each movement or interaction it's obvious that they are trying to act except for Birdie but I suspect that was not acting since she spent 20 years married to Robert Blake. And if your going to have a character that is not supposed to speak English don't have her then speak English with out any hint of a Spanish accent while she is translating a letter. This was not scary at all this movie is an absolute joke from beginning to end.

No point. Anything is better.

[Nomad007 · 2/10 · 16 February 2020]

No chills. No thrills. Bad dialogue. No plot. Mediocre acting. Characters that made no sense. No resolution.

You're better off with most anything else.

And no don't think it'll so bad it's good.

Looking for a good thriller? This is NOT it!

[gonzogal-90544 · 2/10 · 15 October 2018]

I gave The Caretaker the 2 stars I did based on the eye candy (and decent acting skills) of Sean Martini. There was also a bit of so-so okay acting by Meegan Warner. So many things that happen in this movie are completely unrealistic! The parts meant to be scary or thrilling end up looking forced & goofy. Time is precious. As movie buffs, we spend enough time in the scroll zone of Netflix & other streaming services. Save your time for something better. Trust me, this movie was so horrible & to make it consistently bad, the ending was so stupid that it was comical. That's how a lot of this movie was. Some of the supposed scary parts were so cheesy, I just had to laugh.

Rawdilly rawdilly why are you here

[nogodnomasters · 6/10 · 25 September 2017]

After a long line of fired caretakers, Mallorie (Meegan Warner) ends up caring for her medicated slightly crazy Grandmother Birdie (Sondra Blake). Mallorie was raised by her grandmother, a carnival witch, and has her own issues. Mal sleeps walks in a trance-like state and calls out the name of her boyfriend August (Sean Martini). Birdie doesn't want August in the house. He violates rules. Eventually she tolerates him. Both women behave creepily. Birdie says to Mal when they first meet, "I'm going to have a guest. One of the dead kind. I am so glad you are here." The film has a fair creep factor which is end loaded.The drama builds slow establishing two complex characters. And when all else fails, add a clown. Really they did.

Guide: No swearing, sex, or nudity. Couple start to get it on but is interrupted. Chanel Celaya is gosh awfully purdy.

Great horror film

[SophiaWhite232 · 10/10 · 2 November 2016]

The Caretaker is an exciting new horror thriller that all horror film fans will enjoy. From first-time feature film director Jeff Prugh comes a well- crafted independent film that gives the feel of a Hollywood box-office hit. The Caretaker follows a young woman named Mallorie (Meegan Warner) and her boyfriend August (Sean Martini) as they temporarily move into Mallorie's sickly grandmother's home to care for her. What was intended to be a nice gesture from this young couple soon turns into a bad decision as they learn the truth about Mallorie's grandmother Birdie (Sondra Blake) and her shady intentions. Although the whole cast was superb, Sondra Blake steals the show as she gives a spooky and captivating performance that takes the scary plot to the next level and keeps audiences wanting more. Unlike most films in its genre, The Caretaker does a great job of developing each major character which allows the audience to gain more from the film than just a good scare. If you enjoy films of this genre, I definitely recommend giving this movie a watch.

A Horror Film With A Vintage Feel

[myles-sorensen · 10/10 · 3 October 2016]

If you like smart, original horror/thriller films, check this one out. It has a creepy, claustrophobic feeling and a good set of performances from the mostly young cast. There isn't a lot of gore, blood and guts and slasher-film type stuff here. It starts off slow, with some almost comedic elements that make you wonder where the film is headed, and the horror aspect really kicks in about half-way through. The filmmakers build suspense via the history of the house, the old woman Birdie and the mystery of who she is and why they have to take care of her, and traditional psychological thriller techniques with the clown Rawdily. The film almost has a vintage, classic 50's horror feel to it. An approach that really sets it apart from all the found-footage horror that everyone is doing these days. Megan Warner is great as Mallorie.

Impressive

[radhikaroshantorchlight · 10/10 · 28 October 2016]

I was so impressed with the character and setting driven storyline. Nowadays, there are few movies that manage to scare audiences without special effects, blood and gore; however, this film successfully kept me on the edge of my seat with incredible performances from the actors and a gripping original plot inspired by the old mansion they reside in and a family history of psychosis. Mallorie is a young woman who steps up to take care of her grandmother Birdie when all of her previous caretakers are driven away by the horrors of the old house that she lives in. Mallorie's boyfriend, August comes with her as emotional support, but also to keep an eye on her sleepwalking problem and her own fears of becoming like her grandmother. Sondra Blake does a wonderful job in playing the crazy grandmother, who carries the story forward as her psychosis becomes worse and her previous Wiccan practices are revealed as she summons the dead back to the house. Witches. Haunted houses. And a scary clown. This movie is perfect to get you in the mood for Halloween.

Great Halloween Horror

[caileyfayeevans · 9/10 · 28 October 2016]

The Caretaker was a really enjoyable horror movie that I am head over heels for. I was really creeped out by the terrifying grandmother played by Sondra Blake who refuses to take her medication and scares off all of her previous caretakers. Finally, her granddaughter, Mallorie, played by Meegan Warner, comes home to their Victorian house, that works as a perfect setting for this great horror movie. I was jumpy and watching between my fingers in fear as Mallorie slowly slips into the terrifying spirits that made her grandmother crazy as a medium in a circus. So happy I watched this movie right before Halloween because I couldn't imagine a better movie to get me in the right mood for ghosts and spirits.

fantastic scares

[jamescentre · 10/10 · 3 November 2016]

The Caretaker is a thoroughly engaging and deeply disturbing new entry into the horror film genre. The cat-and-mouse game between the well-intentioned Mallorie (Meegan Warner) and her deeply troubled grandmother (Sondra Blake) delivers satisfying screams, thanks largely to the film's eerie, Polanski-esque sense of atmosphere. Director Jeff Prugh impressively maximizes the film's fear potential without the use of extravagant special effects or an obscene amount of gore, instead using lighting, music, and character development to create a building sense of dread. And the atmosphere works like a charm, with the film's final moments leaving viewers in absolute terror. The Caretaker is a gloriously effective chiller that is sure to haunt viewers for days afterwards.

Really Good for an Independent Film

[twelve-house-books · 9/10 · 18 August 2019]

I was ready for bad acting, bad dialogue, bad shooting... bad everything. Instead, this is a great little Ghost Story with comparisons to same-year film Sweet, Sweet Lonely Girl. Digimodern Horror at its finest.