Before I Wake Review

Directed by: Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Hush, Gerald's Game)

Starring: Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane, Jacob Tremblay

Written by: Mike Flanagan and Jeff Howard (Gerald's Game, Oculus, Ouija: Origin of Evil)

Review: Apparently, the US release of Before I Wake has been long delayed since its initial 2015 release. Now, it's available for streaming on Netflix. Normally, this would be a sign that the movie is really bad, but that is not the case here.
I was interested in this movie after finding out it was directed by Mike Flanagan, who is quickly becoming my favorite horror director working today. I haven't seen all of his movies, but  I really liked Oculus and Gerald's Game, and also enjoyed Hush, another Netflix original. Before I Wake is the weakest of these movies, but it is still better than most horror movies out there.
It is about a couple (Bosworth and Jane) who adopt an orphan played by Jacob Tremblay (who after filming, got his big break in the Oscar-winning movie Room). They find out that whenever he is asleep his dreams materialize in the house. For the first third or so of this movie's run time, it comes across as almost whimsical. But later on, his dreams become much darker, and have real impacts on the world around him.
What sets this movie apart from other horror movies is the characters. The movie fleshes them out and you often feel for them, especially the kid. In the end, we get a good glimpse into the kid's mind, and it becomes something more than just a mindless horror flick.
Unfortunately, even though there is some pretty disturbing imagery, there are also a few jump scares. Also, the ending is a little too sentimental, to the point where it comes off as cheesy.
But despite all these flaws, and the bizarre premise, this is still a very moving horror story.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars