In 2017, it is hard to imagine the month of January without strong contenders for a top 10 film of the year…top 10 worst that is. We are only 17 days into 2017 and not only do we already have a sure-fire member of that top 10, but one that may ultimately land the top spot on that list. The Bye Bye Man is a film that not only insults its audience but the horror genre as well and fully puts into question, can any film be green lit these days? A film that ultimately exceeded any expectation I may have had of how terrible it would be.
The Bye Bye Man follows three college students Elliot, Sasha, and John move into an old, off-campus house, where they are haunted by an entity called “The Bye Bye Man” who is responsible for possessing various people throughout the years causing them to lose their mind and go on killing sprees. With a premise like that, you know you’re in trouble.
When a horror film is effective, the central characters are people you can easily root for to take down whatever evil is coming their way. The Bye Bye Man does the opposite, a film that does nothing but bring to life the stupidity of college kids and the unwise choices they make. As the film progresses, it is hard to support and root for any of these characters. Elliot, Sasha, and John show no will and fight throughout the film. In a genre, where characters behave in inexplicable ways at times, such as the cliche “I’ll be right back” and go into locations that will ultimately lead into their demise, the characters in the film hit an all time low with their behavior even with grading on the dumb choices in horror film curve.
A great film like Halloween did not explain why Michael Myers killed the girls in that film, but we at least know that in 1963 he killed his sister. The Bye Bye Man did not offer any back story and explanation into his origin, it lacked 0 mythology and all we are eventually given is a nightstand and two coins, just plain dreadful.
The worst act of stupidity and ineptitude in this film were at the hands of the law enforcement and the cameo by Carrie-Anne Moss. In any normal circumstance, a cop would without a doubt believe Elliot is crazy after not only giving her the story as to The Bye Bye Man, but Moss’s character Shaw instead lets him walk out of custody as nothing was done wrong. A moment in the film that can be counted as just another jump the shark moment in a terrible film.
With any January film, unless an Oscar contender gets a wide release, I always know what I am getting myself into. The Bye Bye Man is one of the worst horror films I’ve ever seen and the best advice I can give any cinephile thinking about watching this films this,
Don’t think it. Don’t Say it. Don’t See it.
Reel Talk gives The Bye Bye Man .5 Reels
