Horror films come in all forms of subgenres and every so often they bring something along that has the potential to be not only creepy, but a new franchise of sorts if handled right. The latest, Bagman looks to have potential starring Sam Claflin, Antonia Thomas, Sharon D Clarke, Steven Cree, William Hope, Adelle Leonce, Peter McDonald, Henry Pettigrew, Caréll Rhoden, and Will Davis from Black Mirror and Krypton director Colm McCarthy. Could this film offer up some creepy fun or should it have stayed zipped up in the bag?

 

Bagman follows a family that finds themselves ensnared in a nightmare as they are hunted by a malevolent, mythical creature. For centuries and across cultures, parents have warned their children of the legendary Bagman, who snatches innocent children and stuffs them into his vile, rotting bag—never to be seen again. Patrick McKee narrowly escaped such an encounter as a boy, which left him with lasting scars throughout his adulthood. Now, Patrick’s childhood tormentor has returned, threatening the safety of his wife Karina and son Jake.

 

I love any horror film that includes creepy dolls and mix that with some sort of creature killer then you have a great concept for a horror flick. The idea and story for this film had such great potential, but the result is less than stellar. I found it to be more dull than scary, but it wasn’t without its moments that became even more frustrating in that there was a great horror flick hidden somewhere in this bag.

 

The film is shot well and creates some creepy visuals including the Bagman himself who is well hidden and used in a way that keeps him interesting. His reveal isn’t bad, but nothing overly special and would have preferred that they kept the mystery about his full visage throughout. The sound of the bag and various cracking/creaking noises add the perfect ambiance to the film and sets the tone for some great scares that sadly never really come.

 

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