Mamá

'Mamá' is a powerful, masterful horror short. In 3 quick minutes it conveys a greater sense of terror than most full-length features can achieve. It does this with no background, no explanation, and not even a real narrative to speak of. What 'Mamá' does is to feed us horror built entirely from the quintessential elements of a picture.

A door opens, and a child steps in backwards, fearfully watching the hallway outside. An alarmed whisper: "Mom is back." The two sisters step slowly and silently downstairs. The door leading outside is locked. Music greets our ears in the form of building discordant strings that immediately raise our hackles. Sounds from the kitchen. Then we see it: a horrific apparition given unnatural form, moving in a very unnatural way. The girls run, deeply scared.

And that's it. That is the entirety of 'Mamá.' Unless I should give great detail of every frame, there is nothing to spoil. Yet in its simplicity it is instantly, wholly chilling in a way that so few horror pictures have accomplished.

Andy and Barbara Muschietti crafted a delightfully succinct tale without any need for elaboration. We don't need to know what this spirit is, or how it is tied to these girls, that they are familiar enough to know to fear it. We don't need to know what happens next, if there is any resolution, if the girls are safe or if the spirit is vanquished. No additional characters are necessary. 'Mamá' is short, potent, and effective. It is all that it needs to be.

I've not yet had opportunity to watch the 2013 full-length feature based on this, backed by Guillermo del Toro as executive producer. I'm generally skeptical of longer films adapted from shorts, and the same is true here. On the other hand, it inspires confidence that the Muschietti's are also involved in the 2013 movie's production. I may have to eventually give it a try after all.

Until then, there will always be 'Mamá.' This is an outstanding short horror film, carrying as much of a punch now as it did when it first found an audience. Do not pass this up!