A Yule-themed comedy horror that is neither funny, nor particularly horrifying, Better Watch Out feels like a malicious spin on Home Alone. A precocious 12-year-old comes up with the idea of terrifying his 17-year-old babysitter in the hope she might seek comfort in his arms. But matters escalate along with the body count. It’s creepy, certainly, but in a mouth-breathing, sexual predator kind of manner rather than a satisfyingly chilling way. That said, Australian actor Levi Miller, soon to be seen in Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time, demonstrates an assurance that far exceeds the requirements of this festive flop.
