BETTER WATCH OUT
(director/writer: Chris Peckover; screenwriter: Zack Kahn)story by Kahn; cinematographer: Carl Robertson; editor: Julie-Anne Deruvo; music: Brian Cachia; cast: Olivia DeJonge (Ashley), Levi Miller (Luke), Ed Oxenbould (Garrett), Aleka Mikic (Ricky), Dacre Montgomery (Jeremy), Patrick Warburton (Robert Lerner), Virginia Madsen (Deandra Lerner); Runtime: 89; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Sidonie Abbene, Brion Hambel, Paul Jensen, Brett Thornquest; Disney Studios/A Well Go USA release; 2025-Australia/USA)
“Its surprise elements make it a special holiday treat.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Canadian-Australian filmmaker Chris Peckover (“Undocumented”) directs this campy Aussie horror comedy set in the snowy unnamed American suburbs (filmed in Sydney, Australia). It’s based on a story by Zack Kahn and is co-written by Kahn and Peckover. It’s like a horror pic version of Home Alone (1990).
The nerdy middle school students Luke (Levi Miller) and his best buddy Garrett (Ed Oxenbould) are playing video games in Luke’s house. The love-stricken Luke is looking forward to the pretty 17-year-old Ashley (Olivia DeJonge, Aussie actress) coming over to babysit the twelve-year-old again so Luke’s parents (Patrick Warburton and Virginia Madsen) can go to a Christmas Eve party.
Luke’s scheming to seduce Ashley with Ed’s help, realizing she will soon be moving away to attend college and this might be his last chance. When his bickering parents leave after the babysitter arrives, he awkwardly puts his plan into motion. He drinks from his father’s champagne bottle to show he’s like an adult and puts on a horror video so the babysitter will sit near him because she will be afraid to sit alone. But strange things start happening in the house like a brick thrown through the window with a note attached threatening to kill anyone who leaves, and the telephone lines are cut after a threatening call, as the trio is in danger when a masked figure enters the house and they are forced to go into hiding. Things turn strangely weird as the viewer and the babysitter try to figure out what is happening.
It’s more of a cartoonish comical story than anything else, that’s smartly fleshed out and darkly funny. Though enjoyable, the story is nevertheless too slight and pointless to be deemed as a great holiday film. But it’s a cleverly made diverting film that’s probably best watching it without knowing too much more about it than what’s been revealed so far, as its surprise elements make it a special holiday treat.
It played at the Fantastic Fest.
REVIEWED ON 12/25/2025 GRADE: B
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