reeves2002 Review of The Cradle

The Cradle (2007)

Very Suspenseful but a misrepresentation of the description

[7/10 · 11 August 2007]

Once I saw the trailer I couldn't wait to see the DVD since it wasn't shown in theaters over here.It started out great with a creepy atmosphere,an awesome realistic storm,and great thrills but then got too confusing and eventually made no sense and became a total mess.The director says it's up to our own interpretation,but I liked the idea of what it was supposed to be about better.What I understood it to be about was a couple and their newborn son who move to an isolated house and are haunted by the spirit of a vengeful child that was buried alive and had died years earlier.This is what the description says on the DVD.Instead it was something else altogether.So what was the point in misleading us by the description! Everything was fine until Helen was introduced.Her character who was supposed to be a midwife was nothing but confusing and didn't have a lot of purpose. She mentions her husband was in the house but you don't see him. And then she talks about a sister who we also don't see and accuses her of being responsible for what weirdness is happening to Frank(played by Lukas Haas)and Julie(Emily Hampshire).It would have made more sense if it were her father that was the one that was frightening this weird old woman.I did not for the life of me understand her hatred and fear of babies!I mean throwing in a stupid line that her sister was murdering babies is pathetic! It had nothing to do with what was happening. That part of the plot was stupid and nearly ruined the movie for me.And what was with all the shots of Franks wife while we're supposed to think it was the sister of Helen.Maybe I missed something but it sure could have been explained better in the making of the film feature.And what was with Julie's bloody face and then bruised arm.She may have been one of the ghosts and their baby was stillborn,but then why was the baby even alive before he died.As far as I know if a baby is stillborn they are dead.This would explain why she wouldn't touch her own baby or didn't want to deal with him.Also in the trailer for this movie there is a part where Helen asks Frank if he has seen him.....,the stillborn! That would explain the plot a bit about a dead baby haunting him but it wasn't shown and for some stupid reason was cut out of the movie.What I got out of it was there were no ghosts just 2 insane people,a dead baby,and a wife but it's not clear if she is dead or alive or if it's just about a father trying to save his family from something.I expected more or maybe something different.This movie is confusing and full of holes but is very suspenseful! Lukas Haas is good in this movie and plays the part of a grieving father very well.I don't understand the negative comments about his portrayal.His character was likely in a zombie state because his baby son was stillborn and was trying to start over. This is the kind of suspense all horror movies should have.I liked the score and sound effects.The isolation and the leaves blowing in the wind was spooky and done well.I think the movie should have been called stillborn(like the working title)instead because it is a more appropriate title for this movie.