The Boy (2016)

A few weeks ago, I watched the film The Boy (2016) for the first time. I have not watched horror movies, so I wanted to try one out, and I was recommended by a friend to watch this movie. While watching the movie, I found the doll very creepy, the way it just kept staring at the screen. And to make the movie even creepier, sound was used to make us feel like the doll is alive. You hear sounds, but you don’t ever see the doll move. It is implied to us that the doll is moving and making those sounds by the changes in its location after the door is closed. It is the creepier version of the moving toys in Toy Story because we are not let in on the doll’s movement; we are left out of its perspective. As humans, we are often scared of the unknown and of things that seem eerily similar to human functioning, such as dolls and robots. We fear that they will take over. That is why so many horror films are based on dolls/robots. Additionally, we discussed in class why so many horror films take place in homes. Similarly, this movie does as well. It causes greater distress in the viewers watching because homes are supposed to be a place of comfort.

Talking about the film with my friend made me notice how the movie constantly uses sound, camera angles, and off-screen space to keep us guessing. It doesn’t always show us what’s happening; it just lets us imagine it, which is usually scarier.

After watching the whole film with my friend, there were still parts I didn’t fully understand; it seemed to me that a lot was left unexplained. Now I realize that confusion is actually a big part of how horror works. The movie gives us just enough information to make us suspicious, but not enough to feel certain about anything. Viewers were given clues about whether the doll is alive or not in the film’s universe. However, there were also moments in the film that purposely made viewers doubt and rethink their suspicions. Nothing is certain, and that is scary to think about because if that were true in real life, it would be hard to tell what really matters and what doesn’t. We want answers, and horror films don’t always give them, so we are left wondering instead. I think that is why so many people love watching horror films. Yes, sure, the thrilling aspects of jump scares and plot twists are appealing due to the adrenaline rush you get from watching, but also the unsolved mystery and confusion you get at the end of the film make the film all the more memorable and creepy. People get to make their own reasoning about the film. And different theories are made about what the films could mean.