The horror genre, a realm of transgression and the exploration of the taboo, has long captivated audiences with its ability to push boundaries. Among the myriad of horror tropes, the portrayal of young, innocent children in mortal or moral peril, and the subversion of parental figures, have been enduring themes. However, a recent trend in mainstream horror films, including 'Bring Her Back', 'Weapons', and now 'Lee Cronin's The Mummy', introduces a disturbing and transgressive offshoot to these classic archetypes. These films delve into the Evil Child and Dark Mother tropes, but with a twist: the women responsible for the evil are surrogate parents, and the children are pawns of a larger, malevolent force.
This new trend is particularly intriguing as it challenges the traditional portrayal of evil mothers and children. Instead of the usual depiction of mothers twisting their natural affection into something sinister, these films feature women who prey on other children, often with no relation to them. This subversion harkens back to fairy-tale and folklore tropes, especially the witch archetype, as seen in stories like Hansel & Gretel and films such as 'Snow White', 'The Witches', and 'The Witch'. The characters of Laura in 'Bring Her Back' and Gladys in 'Weapons' embody the hagsploitation subgenre, subverting their age and the expectations of responsibility and trust.
In 'Lee Cronin's The Mummy', the matriarch, known as The Magician, presents a unique twist on the classic 'psycho-biddy film'. She is not resentful of her age nor does she flaunt it, but her character is still presented in a fairy-tale, witch-like fashion. The Magician, along with the other women in the film, are practitioners of black magic, luring their child victims in various ways. However, what sets these women apart from the archetypal witch is their sympathetic, ulterior motives, making them more nuanced and grounded in reality.
The children in these films are also a crucial part of the equation. Typically, evil children in horror are either genuinely malicious or their innocence is co-opted by evil. However, in 'Bring Her Back', 'Weapons', and 'Lee Cronin's The Mummy', the children are possessed by a demonic entity, becoming hollow shells beholden to the evil forces around them. This distinction allows for commentary not only on the rot within the immediate family but also on the effects of neighbors, community, and society as a whole.
This trend may have emerged from millennial panic about the state of affairs at home and abroad, offering a subtle approach to tackling the topic of raising a child in a dangerous and violent environment, rather than a direct confrontation. Alternatively, it could be a strategic move to shock and disturb desensitized audiences, a goal that horror films have always sought to achieve. As the trend continues, it will be fascinating to see how it evolves and what new depths of transgression it will explore.
