THE LULLABY: A Sporadically Jumpy, Bland Horror Film

The Lullaby, the latest horror film to come out of South Africa, is the slowest of burners of a film. And that isn’t necessarily a good thing. About 85% of the film takes place in a house, but not a very interesting one. The uninteresting story is matched by mostly two-dimensional characters and a lot of familiar horror tropes; it doesn’t bring anything particularly new to the table. There are some admirably squeamish scenes and applaudable but conventional jump scares, but the 86-minute film could have benefited from an even shorter runtime or a more interesting and engaging premise.

Written by Tarryn-Tanille Prinsloo and directed by Darrell Roodt, The Lullaby tells the story of Chloe van Heerden (Z Nation’s Reine Swart), a 19-year old who returns to her small town of Eden Rock mysteriously pregnant after running away. She begins suffering from a sinister form of postpartum depression after she gives birth, and begins seeing a dark figure that she believes is after her baby. Its story is a bit muddled, to say the least.

A Bit Muddled

The Lullaby begins with a flashback and some fairly shoddy editing to make the footage seem like fading, decades-old celluloid with vinegar syndrome as to make it seem like it was shot on a camera from the early 1900s. It works, given that the backstory takes us back to 1901 during the Boer War, when Boers, white South Africans, were placed into concentration camps by the British, their women raped and their illegitimate  children slaughtered.

The rest is a classic slow-burner without an exciting enough payoff. The mystery aspect keeps the audience guessing as to what exactly is going on just enough to keep watching with the hopes of something greater than the first two acts.

Why is she reluctant about keeping this baby? Why is the mother so upset that she left? What is up with the creepy song that the mother sang? How is the therapist connected to the backstory,? Or Chloe and her mother, for that matter? These are questions that unfortunately don’t quite get answered in The Lullaby.

Haven’t We Seen This Before?

The Lullaby bears a lot of similarities to the play and film upon which it’s based called A Woman In Black. Throughout the film, Chloe sees visions of an old ghost dressed in black that she fears is going to harm her child. That’s essentially the same gimmick we see throughout the entire film. The makeup, or special effects, on the ghoul aren’t exactly groundbreaking. Where The Lullaby does succeed is as a psychological mystery and thriller. Even then, it covers familiar territory.

Chloe’s mother (Thandi Puren) suggests that she visit the family psychologist, Dr. Reed (Brandon Auret Elysium, District 9, Chappie). Though, predictably, Dr. Reed isn’t what he seems. One can infer that he has some sort of ancestral connection to the Boers, and therefore has a sinister agenda for Chloe and her mother.

However, the story told that takes place during the Boer War is never really touched upon for the rest of the film. All good horror films have dramatic elements and/or social commentary in them. What would have separated The Lullaby from the herd would be to have focused more on Chloe’s postpartum depression, a common societal issue.

Technically Commendable

Despite a rather boring single-setting, cinematographer Justus de Jager adds some flair to each frame. The town of Eden Rock is spooky. As such, de Jager filters The Lullaby through an, at times, opaque lens, and keeps a dark, overcast hue lingering over every image. Darrell Roodt, perhaps best known for Dracula 3000, knows what he’s doing with the camera. With some unsettling closeups, both slow, creeping and quick pans, and hourglass zooms, Roodt builds significant tension.

Alun Richards’ score adds just enough originality to not distract from the tension, but add to it. Though The Lullaby is a low-budget feature, the special effects leave something to be desired. There are plenty of low-budget films that pull off some impressive special effects. Jose Losper is the only person listed in the special effects department, it is only practical effects, and although that is commendable, the practical effects are subpar.

It would have been more effective if there were more convincing hallucinations for Chloe, seeing as this is more a psychological horror film than supernatural. Alas, the filmmakers and crew worked with what they had.

The Lullaby: Unless You Haven’t Seen A Lot Of Horror Films, It’s Not Worth It

The acting between Swart and Puren in The Lullaby is the best part of the film. The two are so committed to their roles, that it’s the only thing besides the hope of an awesome third act that kept me watching. The message is clear; Puren’s character even says it point blank: “Motherhood is hard.” Without all of the pointless violence and inadequately explained backstory, The Lullaby would work way better as a mystery and a drama. There is one final image that settles some questions that arise in the film, but most questions raised are left inexplicably unanswered.

The Lullaby falls short of being a solid horror film due to its dull setting, convoluted story, and some unnecessary twists. However, there is some fine work by the actors and crew, and the film just might be a sign of better horror films to come out of South Africa in the near future.

Did The Lullaby scare you? Did you like the slow pacing, or were you left wanting more action? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

The Lullaby was released theatrically and on VOD in the U.S. on March 1, 2018. For all international release date, see here.