The latest killer kid flick came out this weekend and I don’t think anyone noticed. It’s called The Prodigy and… well… it’s anther killer kid movie. I was just thinking to myself, ‘Self,” I said, “there just aren’t enough killer kid movies.” Especially ironic in that this one had a trailer for the remake of of Child’s Play in front of it. Ironic because… well… read the synopsis.
The Prodigy is about a serial killer who is shot to death by the cops at the same time a baby is born. The serial killer’s mind goes into the baby (which is not like Child’s Play because, in that flick, the serial killer went into the DOLL. Totally different). Anyhow, the kid is super smart (because he an adult living in him, but only sometimes)… but the dog won’t last long and if his parents don’t watch out, they’re next. Because killer kid movies have body counts.
This movie reminded me a lot of The Omen… and a lot of other movies like it. It’s a bit more of a possession film than a bad seed movie. But no matter what DNA you cross, it’s a killer kid movie and not a very original one, from the plot perspective.
But, after the first 30-40 minutes, the movie does manage to settle into a slightly creepy and even slightly chilling groove. It’s not enough to save the movie but at least it gets a mood down, even if it can’t find an original beat to the story. Helps the acting and the lighting is good. The kid is asked to say and do some violent and profane things so… good for them? I guess. It earns an R rating. Yay?
So, yeah, a little better than the average January/February horror flick by dint of having good actors and a good director. For the most part, it’s a decent flick. Maybe worth a rental… but there are better movies of its type and nothing super surprising or original happens.
Score: 74