Better Watch Out starts out as a Christmas set, home invasion thriller before becoming something else entirely. It implies that 17-year-old, Babysitter, Ashley (Olivia DeJonge) and 12-year-old boy, Luke (Levi Miller) are going to defend Luke's home, Home Alone (1990) style, before pulling the rug beneath our feet.
The twist is clever but it risks alienating its audience who expected something else and is more than a little mean spirited. What follows plays out like a teenage boy's twisted fantasy and is purposely uncomfortable to watch.
Most of the kills take place off screen but it's still gory and somewhat disturbing, with psychological abuse that lingers.
The ending throws up another clever twist that works well, although the film ends abruptly without revealing a certain character's comeuppance, but then you could argue that it doesn't need to. Can she prove it? Ed Oxenbould is best friend Garrett.
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DIRECTED BY: Chris Peckover. SCREENPLAY BY: Zack Kahn, Chris Peckover. RUNNING TIME: 89 minutes. CERTIFICATE: 15 / R. USA.
