The Moogai

With “The Moogai,” Bell wrestles with the horrors of the past and acknowledges the history of the Aboriginal children who never had a chance at a future.

The monster itself is quite an accomplishment, but the boom in horror movie-making has made us pretty blasé about the grotesque creations the genre can conjure up. Unfortunately, this well-intentioned film isn’t as scary as it’s trying to be.

The horror works on multiple levels, with the scariest moments informed by the lived experience of Aboriginal people.

This film, with its strong Indigenous themes, is a solid addition to the recent burst of well-received independent Australian horror movies.

Not everyone has understood exactly why this is such a brave, confident movie, but everyone needs to know that – despite this – Jon Bell is exactly the kind of filmmaker Australia is lucky to have right now, and desperately needs.

Sadly, its attempts to express the lingering pain and far-reaching historical trauma behind these experiences are rendered moot by dull and tensionless filmmaking.

“The Moogai” doesn’t work as a horror movie and is only somewhat effective as a piece of metaphorical political storytelling.

“The Moogai” is probably better than most critics believe because we do not understand everything that we are seeing. As a first-time feature filmmaker, Bell’s first time at bat is a success, and people should stay glued to see how his work will evolve.

A tale of motherhood, generational bravery, and the slow healing of long-held wounds elevates this slightly unfocused Australian horror film.

There is regretfully little to differentiate The Moogai from any other generic frightfest. Nonetheless, it is a competently made feature-length debut and a clear labour of love, with some memorably eerie imagery to boot.