THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CHILDREN

"There's Something Wrong with the Children," the latest film by Roxanne Benjamin, was released on digital and MGM+ recently, four days after a big horror drop day. Despite having interesting ideas, the film is marred by its poor execution. The movie takes too long to get to any exciting parts and rushes through some of its best moments, ultimately leading to the downfall of the film in its final scenes. The behavior of the characters in the final scenes feels unrealistic and unconnected to human behavior.

The midsection of the movie, when one character realizes something is terrorizingly wrong and no one believes him, is easily its strongest. The script by T.J. Cimfel and David White starts with two couples going on a camping trip to escape their problems and drink together. Ellie (Amanda Crew) and Thomas (Carlos Santos) bring some marital tension, and Ellie reveals to her friend Margaret (Alisha Wainwright) that she recently had a foursome that went wrong. To help resolve the issues, Margaret and Ben (Zach Gilford) agree to watch the friends' kids for the night.

However, things take a strange turn when Margaret and Ben wake up to find the kids missing. The previous day, the group had found an old building with a massive hole that seemed to attract the children, and Ben assumes they went back to investigate it. When he returns to find the kids alive and seemingly unharmed, he is the only one who realizes something is wrong.

The premise is strong, and the midsection of the movie effectively plays with perception, but the writers and director don't fully utilize its potential. The final act is a disappointment, with Santos not given a character, and the audience not caring enough about Ellie or Ben. The best part of the film is Wainwright's performance as she shifts from concern to terror to grief. She is the standout performer and the only saving grace of "There's Something Wrong with the Children."

Unfortunately, the film doesn't live up to its full potential and stumbles in its execution. Despite a strong set-up, "There's Something Wrong with the Children" fails to take advantage of its themes, making it more predictable than it could have been. The film centers around two couples who go on a camping trip together and encounter some strange events that leave one of them questioning their sanity. While the midsection of the film is well-done and raises interesting questions about perception and reality, it moves too quickly through its best beats and doesn't allow the audience to fully connect with the characters.

Although the film features some strong performances, particularly from Alisha Wainwright, the imbalance in the ensemble weakens the overall impact of the film. While the character of Ben should have quickly spiraled into madness, Zach Gilford's performance falls short, making it difficult for the audience to fully immerse themselves in the story. Ultimately, "There's Something Wrong with the Children" fails to fully realize its potential and ends up feeling like a missed opportunity.

The film "There's Something Wrong with the Children" by Roxanne Benjamin has some great ideas, but its execution is far from perfect. The story follows two couples on a camping trip, who end up looking after their friends' children, Lucy and Spencer. After the children go missing and Ben (one of the couples) discovers them at the edge of an old building, things start to get strange. The midsection of the movie is the strongest, as it explores the common fear of not being ready to be a parent, but even this section falls short of its potential.

The script by T.J. Cimfel and David White sets the stage well, highlighting the characters' fears and insecurities. However, the film races through its best beats and doesn't delve into them as much as it should. Even the best scene of the movie, where Ben discovers the children and realizes something is wrong, feels rushed and underdeveloped.

The performance by Alisha Wainwright is the standout of the film, as she portrays the concern, terror, and grief of her character. However, other actors such as Carlos Santos and Amanda Crew feel underdeveloped, and Zach Gilford struggles to convey the unhinged state of his character. The imbalance in the ensemble of characters makes the final act feel underwhelming, as the audience doesn't care enough about the characters to be concerned about their fate.

Overall, "There's Something Wrong with the Children" had potential but fails to deliver due to its shoddy execution. The midsection of the film is the strongest, but it could have been even better if the filmmakers had allowed the audience to simmer in Ben's predicament for longer and explore his descent into madness.