u-scum Review of Baby Blues

Baby Blues (2008 Video)

Once you get past the shock value, it's really a by the numbers affair.

[2/10 · 11 October 2022]

I'll try to include as few spoilers as possible about this film but let me begin with how a lot of other reviews have approached this film. It's either 'daring' and 'bold' or it's 'shocking' and 'depraved'. Both opinions miss the obvious, it's exploitation. Bad exploitation, at that. The true story upon which this is so loosely based on is a very disturbing tale. Instead of treating the subject matter with any respect, the film makers have produced what can be only be described as a very run of the mill stalk and slash horror, the only difference being the victims. This is where we get the 'bold'/'shocking' element. Yes, the children are the victims. Once you get past this, however, the basic horror tropes, the bad telegraphing, terrible dialogue, etc come thick and fast. A few examples being the catapult, the shotgun on the wall, the cornfield, the nail in the barn, the CB reception. I could go on but I think the worst is the quite subtle....the matchbook. When repairing her husband's jeans, the mother finds a matchbook from a strip joint. Although she has been showing some signs of distress, it's this moment that seems to tip her over the edge. Later, we find that the hubbie has just innocently picked up the book of matches from a work colleague, therefore releasing him from any guilt in the events. I could go on but.... In short, once you get past the initial shock value of the victims, it's so run of the mill.

PS. One more horror trope is the tagged on ending which sees the ridiculous premise of the mother possibly coming home because she was mentally ill at the time and she's pregnant. Mmmm.....so the husband can forgive her murdering three kids and a neighbour (and his dog) and attempting to murder his only other child?! FFS.