NEW BLOOD: THE BYE-BYE MAN

THE BYE-BYE MAN
STX
2017 Color 
96 Mins.
Horror/Thriller 
Written by Jonathan Penner and Robert Damon Schneck
Directed by Stacy Title
Rated PG-13 for language, violence, sexuality and very light gore.

Honestly Did anyone even think this would be good. Like a sucker I still buy a ticket for every horror movie that hits theaters That being said I went into this one with very low expectations and came out feeling like it was both worse and better than I expected. The film centers on a group of young friends who move into a new off campus house and discover an urban legend in which if you say the villain's name he will haunt and manipulate you until you kill yourself. Yes, he makes you see delusions, it's that lame, que fake out jump scares.

 Sadly Faye Dunaway shows up a third of the way through to embarrass herself and the repeating mantra of 'Don't say it, Don't think it" is annoying and hilarious especially since the characters feel the need to constantly shout it to distract themselves. Not much thought is given to the history of the urban legend besides some flashbacks so we know where the night table came from. The deaths are very PG-13 mostly happening off the screen so don't expect any gory goods. 

One of the big problems Bye Bye man has is how inconsequential it all feels. The plot feels stolen and convoluted and although the film runs a too long 96 minutes it doesn't take any time building any of the characters so we care about them at all. In fact the execution is so sloppy their actions throughout seem irrational and forced. I'd love to say there was enough of the "so bad it's good" quality here but despite a hefty barrage of unintentional funnies  which come often, mostly from the film's insepid performances and silly dialogue " like students with sneakers covered in blood"  but it's not enough to merit even watching it once. 

Even though the librarians tackling of a moving vehicle is one for the books. I'd like to say the villain is cool but it's a guy in a coat with long fingers played by a completely wasted Doug Jones, he is accompanied by the cutest CGI hellhound you'll ever see.

 In the end the best thing I can say about this overly mediocre waste of time is that it isn't boring. At least there's enough going on here to make the time pass for better or worse. My suggestion stay home and watch Candyman that movie will scary the shit out of you. Also scary is the fact this film has made a decent amount of money this weekend which is the most terrifying thing of all meaning that a sequel is undoubtedly on the way. What great start to 2017 **.5/5