“Don’t think it. Don’t say it.” That is the main theme of this movie, The Bye Bye Man, directed by Stacy Title. Three college students move into an old house off campus and accidentally unleash a supernatural entity called “The Bye Bye Man.” The legend goes that if a person either thinks about the so-called demon or says his name, he will trick you into doing horrible things and mess with your mind until eventually you take your own life due to insanity.
As soon as the college students move in, strange things start to happen. For example, the first sign that the Bye Bye Man is coming is the sound of a coin dropping. This happens to Elliot and his girlfriend Sasha when they are in their bedroom. Elliot then finds what is hidden in their bedside drawer, which is the key to unleash this powerful beast.
The one thing I liked about this movie was the psychological aspect, as well as the humor that sometimes occurred between the characters. The demon creates fake scenarios and messes with each of the characters. For instance, Elliot is convinced Sasha and his best friend John are having an affair. However, this wasn’t enough to make me enjoy the movie overall.
I would categorize this movie as a “beginner horror movie.” There are barely any jump scares, which makes the viewer anxious because they keep thinking something’s about to happen, but it never does. You only see the Bye Bye Man once or twice throughout the whole entire movie, which was kind of a disappointment.
Mainly character driven, the plot wasn’t that strong besides the fact that there was a crazy supernatural force on the loose and the three college students have to stop him. It’s a simple tale that focuses on college students dealing with their own problems while trying to stay alive in their creepy, haunted house.