Watch Mikey

Mikey is a 1992 horror movie that tells the tale of an 8-year-old boy named Mikey who appears to be a perfect, loving and caring child, but beneath his angelic facade, lies a pure evil heart. After the tragic murders of his previous foster families, the movie opens with Mikey being taken in by the Holt family, as their new foster child.

At first, the Holts are enamoured with Mikey, who puts on a charming and delightful act that cannot be refused. Mikey’s quirky personality is quite endearing, even though he is an odd child with a bit of a dark edge to him. However, things start to spiral out of control as Mikey starts showing his true nature as an eerily intelligent, yet incredibly terrifying child.

The neighbours are initially intimidated by the child's eerie affectations, and later find out that with a seemingly innocent exterior, Mikey harbours certain deviant tendencies which eventually lead him towards violence. Ashley Laurence, who portrays the social worker, is equally unnerved by Mikey's odd behaviour but dismisses any feelings of alarm and considers that the Holt's can provide him with a normal life.

As the plot progresses, the movie unveils a history of heinous acts committed by Mikey that leads to the shocking truth about the youngster's dark past. The audience is given a glimpse of the troubled upbringing that turned Mikey into a monster. Through flashback scenes, we can see him committing terrible acts of violence such as choking his pet cat with a telephone cord, and burning his sibling alive in a bathtub.

The increasing severity of Mikey's behaviour becomes evident to the viewer with each passing moment of the movie. As emotions run high Mikey finds himself conflicted between his desire to be a good boy and the intense urges to unleash his sadism. As much as the family tries to embrace Mikey, they constantly find themselves struggling with the unnerving and cruel nature of the child.

The pace of the movie is gripping, and its plot is dark and unnerving, making it a horror classic. The director, Dennis Dimster-Dacosta, does an excellent job in building a slow and suspenseful plot that leads the audience on a journey of dread, despair and pure terror.

The portrayal of Mikey by Brian Bonsall in the movie is one of his most outstanding performances. His ability to switch between charming young boy and cold-blooded killer, with ease, is a testament to his acting skill. His characterisation is hauntingly believable and adds to the horror and terror of the storyline.

Josie Bissett plays the role of the mother very well, successfully portraying the dilemma of a mother who has to choose between keeping her family safe or supporting a child that needs a stable home.

Ashley Laurence's performance as a social worker, Susan, is worth mentioning here. Through her eyes, and those of other observers, we see Mikey as a young child in distress, but at the same time, there is a glimpse of ominousness that hangs around the child.

To sum it up, Mikey is a psychological thriller that will keep you at the edge of your seat until the final scene. Its portrayal of a child who can seamlessly transition between good and evil is commendable. With an equal measure of suspense, horror and drama, the movie has aged surprisingly well, standing the test of time as a movie that remains an all-time horror classic.

Mikey is a 1992 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.6.