Viewed – 30 August 2016  Online rental

Taking one look at the poster of this intriguing horror conjured up memories of the Chucky franchise.  Yet, my liking of said psycho doll aside, I’m happy to report this doesn’t quite go down that road.  Lauren Cohen of The Walking Dead plays Greta, an American woman fleeing an abusive relationship who comes to England to accept a job as a Nanny but soon finds out she’s not looking after an eight year old boy called Brahms, but that of a life size porcelain doll.  However once the elderly couple who hire Greta decide to leave on a trip, strange things start to occur.

Lauren Cohen, one of the more diverting actors from the aforementioned Walking Dead is easily up to the job and her blend of Hollywood good looks and likeable demeanour suited her character well.  The doll that takes centre stage is also undeniably creepy and his milky white face and staring eyes create the desired effect.  However despite some fun plays on this viewer’s preconceptions and good support from Rupert Evans as a local delivery guy, all good work is almost undone when the movie descends into typical horror movie territory in the final act.  I also noticed more than a few tricks being pulled from the horror movie cliché bag; the dream sequence, the false jump scare etc.  No bad thing really and makes for a fun experience, but along with a twist that made me puzzle over the entire premise (and not in a good way) – I was ultimately disappointed.

That being said, with a suitably creepy old English house, Lauren Cohen’s plucky (if by the numbers) performance and earlier scenes creating plenty of tension – this still proved effective.  So maybe give this a go, especially if unlike myself you’re not too demanding when it comes to your latest horror fix.

Verdict:  2.5 /5