10 Horror Films Ruined by WTF Endings
7. Mama
In Andy Muschietti's directorial debut, two young sisters are found in a forest after being missing for five years, seemingly cared for by a supernatural entity called Mama. When their uncle and his girlfriend take them in, they soon discover Mama intends to take the girls back by any means necessary.
What makes Mama work so well is how it emphasises a deep-seated fear of the unknown. For the first two-thirds, the titular figure is portrayed as a barely glimpsed, malevolent force. This masterfully crafted ambiguity fuels the tension, allowing the audience’s imagination to fill in the blanks with something more terrifying than CGI ever could.
Sadly, the movie spoils it all by showing Mama at the end. Not only does the nebulous being come across as a generic monster, but she's also badly rendered to the point she looks unconvincing and unintentionally funny. If Mama was depicted with subtle practical effects or shadows, the movie could have preserved its haunting atmosphere and left a stronger impact.
Even though "Show, don't tell" is one of the golden rules in filmmaking, Mama would've benefited by keeping things vague right up until the end.