It’s the holiday season in suburban America; snow blankets the streets, lights adorn every home, and a troublesome boy is left in the care of his babysitter while his parents step out for the night.
Sounds a bit like Home Alone, right? Well, this is Home Alone with blood, lots of blood.

Better Watch Out is a surprising addition to the horror-comedy genre from Canadian-Australian director Chris Peckover.

Despite its US setting, the film was shot in Sydney with three Australian actors in the lead, all of whom did an impressive job with a difficult script.

What starts as a home invasion thriller ends in completely different territory. Luke (Levi Miller) has a crush on his teenage babysitter Ashley (Olivia DeJonge – The Visit) and uses their time alone at home together to make his move.

Before things can get too awkward however, the phonelines are cut, a brick is thrown through a window, and a shadow lingers outside.

Rarely does a film manage to hide its secret from an audience until the big reveal, but Better Watch Out did just that.

The plot twists and turns worked a Christmas treat, and the bloodletting was just plain fun. But some of the scenes failed to pack much of a punch, and the whole thing felt like it was trying too hard to be weird.

The Diagnosis:
You’ll walk away feeling mildly uncomfortable, but it probably won’t keep you awake on Christmas night.

– Ellin Williams