Umma can be an interesting study of motherhood and generational trauma with a dash of a touch of folk horror. After a promising start, alas Iris K. Shim is unable to maintain the tension or the emotional aspect it's direly in need throughout the rest of the film. In the end, it presented a rather dull, if not bland, third act.
141 Reviews
So close
danwilberforce8 April 2022
What happened? The first half of the movie was so solid, interesting story, good acting, beautiful cinematography, great chemistry between the two leads, then the second the daughter came out of the basement and questioned her mother, the dialogue became very clunky and unnatural.
We were then confronted with some very unscary CGI and all the promise the film once held just fizzled away.
There was definitely a much better film in here somewhere. Such a shame.
We were then confronted with some very unscary CGI and all the promise the film once held just fizzled away.
There was definitely a much better film in here somewhere. Such a shame.
Mommy Dearest from beyond
Horror_Flick_Fanatic9 April 2022
I didn't like it. It did have atmosphere and the camera work was decent. But this film is a jump scare film and not a well-crafted elevated horror story. I don't like horror films that are a lot of jump scares stringed together without that good backstory. The tension doesn't crescendo like I would have loved. It's just a lot of look-behind-you-and-boo!
The mask, the uncle, and the suitcase are pretty dumb and serves no purpose. Kinda hard to take serious a ghost that travels overseas in an old suitcase. The film could have been better if the director spent screen time drawing out the past between Amanda and her mother, they could have gently ratchetted the sinister tension between both characters. In fact, my favorite scene is when Amanda and her mother's ghost have a 5-minute scene talking to each other about how the mother felt abandoned and the mother's resentment.
But two hours of hide and seek boo! Scenes and a teenager that just wants to fit in and be normal just didn't do it for me.
The mask, the uncle, and the suitcase are pretty dumb and serves no purpose. Kinda hard to take serious a ghost that travels overseas in an old suitcase. The film could have been better if the director spent screen time drawing out the past between Amanda and her mother, they could have gently ratchetted the sinister tension between both characters. In fact, my favorite scene is when Amanda and her mother's ghost have a 5-minute scene talking to each other about how the mother felt abandoned and the mother's resentment.
But two hours of hide and seek boo! Scenes and a teenager that just wants to fit in and be normal just didn't do it for me.
Forgetable
Foutainoflife12 April 2022
I went in excited, and left disappointed
nikkiinwanderlust2 July 2022
I love Sandra Oh, and I love Korean horror films. I thought that this was going to be a match made in heaven, but honestly calling it a horror movie is almost offensive.
Umma is predictable, boring more times than not, and all around just a lame attempt at something that could be amazing.
Umma is predictable, boring more times than not, and all around just a lame attempt at something that could be amazing.
Watchable, albeit a somewhat generic movie...
paul_haakonsen8 April 2022
I hadn't even heard about the 2022 horror drama mystery "Umma" prior to sitting down to watch it. But I have to say that I found the movie's cover/poster to be interesting, and the synopsis was adequate. But of course with it being a horror movie that I hadn't already seen, of course I had to watch it.
Writer and director Iris K. Shim managed to put together an adequate enough storyline and script for "Umma". It wasn't a particularly outstanding or overly memorable movie experience though. Sure, it was watchable, and it was a nice mixture of Korean and Western cultures.
For a horror movie then I found "Umma" to be somewhat stale and slow paced. It wasn't particularly scary, and for a life-long horror fan, then "Umma" was essentially just a stroll in the park. "Umma" is focusing more of the drama aspects of the story than it does the horror.
Visually then you are not in for anything grand or impressive. But then again, "Umma" is not a movie that is particularly reliant on special effects and CGI. It had a little bit of special effects, of course, and it looked adequate enough. But you're not in for a spectacular show of special effects here.
Now, I am not really a fan of Sandra Oh, but she performed well enough in the movie. I wasn't familiar with actress Fivel Stewart, but she put on a great performance in the movie alongside the likes of Sandra Oh and Dermot Mulroney.
Sure, "Umma" was watchable and enjoyable enough for a single viewing. But that was essentially also it. This is not a movie that I will be returning to watch a second time, nor is it a movie that is at the top of movies that I would recommend you sit down to watch if you enjoy horror movies.
My rating of "Umma" lands on a somewhat generic five out of ten stars.
Writer and director Iris K. Shim managed to put together an adequate enough storyline and script for "Umma". It wasn't a particularly outstanding or overly memorable movie experience though. Sure, it was watchable, and it was a nice mixture of Korean and Western cultures.
For a horror movie then I found "Umma" to be somewhat stale and slow paced. It wasn't particularly scary, and for a life-long horror fan, then "Umma" was essentially just a stroll in the park. "Umma" is focusing more of the drama aspects of the story than it does the horror.
Visually then you are not in for anything grand or impressive. But then again, "Umma" is not a movie that is particularly reliant on special effects and CGI. It had a little bit of special effects, of course, and it looked adequate enough. But you're not in for a spectacular show of special effects here.
Now, I am not really a fan of Sandra Oh, but she performed well enough in the movie. I wasn't familiar with actress Fivel Stewart, but she put on a great performance in the movie alongside the likes of Sandra Oh and Dermot Mulroney.
Sure, "Umma" was watchable and enjoyable enough for a single viewing. But that was essentially also it. This is not a movie that I will be returning to watch a second time, nor is it a movie that is at the top of movies that I would recommend you sit down to watch if you enjoy horror movies.
My rating of "Umma" lands on a somewhat generic five out of ten stars.
Annoying and bad
PedroPires9023 March 2022
Honestly, a bad film. In horror most of the times "less is more" and this film is imcredibly annoying in how it wants to do something every 30 seconds. It can be the sound effects, it can be something in the mirror, something behind you, some dream, some internal voice, a jumpscare...every 30 seconds and I'm not lying. This turns out to have the precisely opposite effect.
It wants to say a lot of things and it passes those messages even through some clunky dialogue that doesn't feel natural at all. One or two good enough scenes but in general a huge disappointment (I would say the opening credits are the best thing). Really unispiring ending and full of clichés.
It wants to say a lot of things and it passes those messages even through some clunky dialogue that doesn't feel natural at all. One or two good enough scenes but in general a huge disappointment (I would say the opening credits are the best thing). Really unispiring ending and full of clichés.
She's Here
nogodnomasters17 April 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Soo-Hyan (Sandra Oh) leaves her mother and comes to American and adapts the name Amanda. She has a daughter Chrissy (Fivel Stewart) and doesn't like to be around electricity. They are bee keepers. Amanda's uncle (Tom Yi) shows up with the remains of Amanda's mother Umma (MeeWha Alana Lee). Amanda becomes haunted by her mother as she (the mother) never wanted to be separated.
The film is more of a cultural drama about Korean family lifestyle. The haunting lacked any kind of scare potential. Good characterizations, but the plot leaves a lot to be desired.
Guide: No swearing, sex, or nudity.
The film is more of a cultural drama about Korean family lifestyle. The haunting lacked any kind of scare potential. Good characterizations, but the plot leaves a lot to be desired.
Guide: No swearing, sex, or nudity.
A Quite Predictable And Inoffensive Horror Movie
martimusross21 March 2022
Umma
A reasonable jump scare horror movie, they held back on the horror when they should have gone all out so that's a shame, what it could have been!
Sandra Oh held our attention as did the daughter, the acting was good overall but it was all quite derivative and predictable.
This is a weak 6 outta 10 from me, meaning it whiled an evening away and was what it was!
A reasonable jump scare horror movie, they held back on the horror when they should have gone all out so that's a shame, what it could have been!
Sandra Oh held our attention as did the daughter, the acting was good overall but it was all quite derivative and predictable.
This is a weak 6 outta 10 from me, meaning it whiled an evening away and was what it was!
Mismarketed
SoumikBanerjee199613 April 2022
It seems like the film's modus operandi was to make statements on childrearing. Specifically made for those parents who are overbearingly conservative about their children, so much so that they even refuse to listen to their kids' wishes, let alone lend an ear to what other people say.
As creators, they tried to put their message out in the open, an important one as well and to tell you the truth, I see nothing wrong in that. However, I also do believe that as a filmmaker you bear certain responsibilities, some obligations one of which is to stay loyal to the genre or the type of content you are making.
"Umma" was meant to be a Horror right? In any case that was the impression, I've got from the trailers! If you wanna have social commentary, and symbolic insinuations in your film that's fine but you got to stick to your promise first! At the end of the day, What do people expect from a Horror feature? All they want is to be terrified, to get the chills. So if that particular wish remains unattended, I don't see why should it be marketed as horror in the first place then!
As creators, they tried to put their message out in the open, an important one as well and to tell you the truth, I see nothing wrong in that. However, I also do believe that as a filmmaker you bear certain responsibilities, some obligations one of which is to stay loyal to the genre or the type of content you are making.
"Umma" was meant to be a Horror right? In any case that was the impression, I've got from the trailers! If you wanna have social commentary, and symbolic insinuations in your film that's fine but you got to stick to your promise first! At the end of the day, What do people expect from a Horror feature? All they want is to be terrified, to get the chills. So if that particular wish remains unattended, I don't see why should it be marketed as horror in the first place then!
Um Ah
questl-1859210 April 2023
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. What an oddly beautiful tale of hereditary guilt, regret and transmitted behavior. This is where horror has the opportunity to evolve, to represent something more and I feel like it perfectly balanced the metaphor with the reality of the film. It's very tight, a whopping 5 significant characters in the movie, all pretty much shot in two locales. It feels like it's missing just that little something extra to boost it up into proper greatness, but I'm quite pleased with calling it very good.
Might not be a buy for most, but would definitely check it out.
Might not be a buy for most, but would definitely check it out.
mismarketed as horror
dfch1323 March 2022
Imho you'd enjoy it more if you come to watch this movie with the mindset of it being a drama with just a sprinkle of PG13 horror thrown in rather than expecting a full on horror film. Watching the trailer was enough to inform me that this won't be scary at all & reading the reviews kinda justified it. I watched it with this knowledge & it didn't disappoint. See it if you like Sandra Oh or some mother-daughter drama, but skip it if your main reason to watch is to get scared cause it's really not scary at all.
Almost Fell Asleep
looking_Work19 March 2022
I was the only person in the theater and that should tell you something. It was a 1:30pm showing on a Friday but still ... The movie goes downhill right after the first scene and never gains momentum after that. The rest of it is a flashback to what had occurred years earlier but it never comes back to explain what happened in that first scene. Sandra Oh was Sandra Oh but she did not have much to work with here.
This movie was like an extended version of the Progressive Insurance commercials about growing up to be your parent (because this is about the 'mother'). There was maybe 1 scary moment in the entire movie.
The movie focused more on the living mother/daughter dynamic and a culture that was being ignored until it was forced upon them. Truly a waste of time and money.
This movie was like an extended version of the Progressive Insurance commercials about growing up to be your parent (because this is about the 'mother'). There was maybe 1 scary moment in the entire movie.
The movie focused more on the living mother/daughter dynamic and a culture that was being ignored until it was forced upon them. Truly a waste of time and money.
Inter generational trauma as nonsensical horror
aarpcats26 July 2022
There is little intriguing about the worn out premise, of the script, but there are still a few things to enjoy in this psychological melodrama. Sandra Oh gives a sturdy performance as the phobic isolationist on her California farm, and Dylan McDermott is a reliable co star. The traditional hanboks are beautiful.
But then there are the plot holes. What clingy Korean mother goes back to her country when he daughter is in the United States? How did a woman get married and have a child while never being around eléctricity? How did she go to school, afford a farm and learn to produce honey without electricity? Wouldn't Child Protective Services show up for a kid that has never ridden in a car?
Suspend all logic and you might enjoy the rest of the movie.
But then there are the plot holes. What clingy Korean mother goes back to her country when he daughter is in the United States? How did a woman get married and have a child while never being around eléctricity? How did she go to school, afford a farm and learn to produce honey without electricity? Wouldn't Child Protective Services show up for a kid that has never ridden in a car?
Suspend all logic and you might enjoy the rest of the movie.
Bad
Movi3DO20 March 2022
Dr. Cristina Yang retired and became a bee keeper.
A new horror produced by Sam Raimi of all people and starred Sandra Oh.
The only good part was some of the creepy scenes, which could be effective at times.
The first thing is the dialogues. Oh man that was corny and weird as heck. Even worse most of the cringy dialogues were from Oh's character.
There's nothing unique to the story. Really 95% was buildup without much happening. I was quite bored and couldn't wait for the story to end. Of course it's predictable.
Overall, it's bad. 4-4.5/10.
A new horror produced by Sam Raimi of all people and starred Sandra Oh.
The only good part was some of the creepy scenes, which could be effective at times.
The first thing is the dialogues. Oh man that was corny and weird as heck. Even worse most of the cringy dialogues were from Oh's character.
There's nothing unique to the story. Really 95% was buildup without much happening. I was quite bored and couldn't wait for the story to end. Of course it's predictable.
Overall, it's bad. 4-4.5/10.
When The Movie Poster is More Interesting Than The Actual Movie
kaapkarnage30 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Let me start off by saying that this movie came out about the same time as X, a horror movie that I really enjoyed and really recommend if you are an avid movie lover. However, I was not able to get a ticket for X due to it being too late so I saw Umma instead. Where do I even begin with this one? How about we start off with the fact that I actually never made it through the full movie. Not because it was unbearable or unwatchable, but because this movie is just an hour and a half of nothing happening. The pacing a slow, the writing is clunky, the dialogue is super cliché regardless of the character, even the acting is nothing special with Sandra Oh starring as the generic protagonist who was haunted by a dark past, one of which is never fully explained, it's brought up maybe once or twice but never fully explored. What were left with is just a movie or bad things happen for a non specific reason. My recommendation is if you have to choose between watching this and X, please just watch X.
Nothing much to see here.
deloudelouvain9 May 2022
The poster looks like horror, the story looks like horror, but the movie isn't horror. At least not the kind that gives you thrills. For that the special effects are or non existant or mediocre at best. The soundtrack, the one thing that could make any horror story better, was just very basic. I watched Umma because of Sandra Oh, but I've seen much better with her. The acting wasn't bad, the story just a bit too boring, not good enough if you're looking for a horror movie you will remember.
Couldn't tell if my TV was on or off!
Go_For_The_Jugular10 April 2022
Umma has an interesting plot and a nice cast...it really should of been a decent horror flick...but sadly, it wasn't.
My biggest gripe is the darkness. I understand it's a 'horror'...and I kinda like how the filmmakers introduced the 'scared of electricity' element, which gives them a reason to not have lights on...but holy mackerel, there are parts where the screen is near pitch black! I mean 'so dark that you can barely see what's going on'. What's the point? It really spoils a film when you don't even know what you're looking at. I turned all the picture parameters up by 20...and still could barely see anything. So this meant some parts of the film are a mystery to me, due to not being able to see what was going on. If it wasn't for the sound, I could of sworn my TV was switched off! Fail!
Besides the darkness issue, the film is slow and repetitive. You'll probably struggle to give it your full attention from start to end.
Like some other reviewers have said, it's more of a drama, than a horror. That's a pet peeve of mine - films that use the term 'horror' to boost numbers. They should realise that this has a negative effect...because when horror lovers, watch a 'horror' film, but don't get horror, it p*sses us off!
Also, there's a 'girl wants to go to college' subplot...it's so rushed and frantic, that it barely makes any difference to anything.
I think the same cast and the same storyline has the potential to be an epic horror film, just with a different director. This almost looked like a made for TV joint.
My biggest gripe is the darkness. I understand it's a 'horror'...and I kinda like how the filmmakers introduced the 'scared of electricity' element, which gives them a reason to not have lights on...but holy mackerel, there are parts where the screen is near pitch black! I mean 'so dark that you can barely see what's going on'. What's the point? It really spoils a film when you don't even know what you're looking at. I turned all the picture parameters up by 20...and still could barely see anything. So this meant some parts of the film are a mystery to me, due to not being able to see what was going on. If it wasn't for the sound, I could of sworn my TV was switched off! Fail!
Besides the darkness issue, the film is slow and repetitive. You'll probably struggle to give it your full attention from start to end.
Like some other reviewers have said, it's more of a drama, than a horror. That's a pet peeve of mine - films that use the term 'horror' to boost numbers. They should realise that this has a negative effect...because when horror lovers, watch a 'horror' film, but don't get horror, it p*sses us off!
Also, there's a 'girl wants to go to college' subplot...it's so rushed and frantic, that it barely makes any difference to anything.
I think the same cast and the same storyline has the potential to be an epic horror film, just with a different director. This almost looked like a made for TV joint.
Umma Said Knock You Out!
RightOnDaddio22 March 2022
Not sure what others are looking for out of this film, but during my viewing the needle moved as high as an 8, but ultimately landed on 6 when it was all said and done.
It's not a bad film at all.
Is it scary?
Not really. But most horror films these days are not what I would define as terrifying. It's PG-13, but that has nothing to do with effectiveness of a psychological thriller.
This is very much a movie about the matriarchy. It's about mothers and daughters. It's about generational differences.
I know there are horror fans checking out as they read this, saying out loud, Nope, Nope. Not gonna do this one.
I think that would be a mistake. I wanted to like this film more than I did. And I didn't dislike it. Like most modern horror films, it just didn't have it.
It does have Sandra Oh. Whom I adore. I've never watched one second of Grey's Anatomy, but I've held this deep admiration for Oh since seeing her career-defining performance in one of my all-time favorite films, Sideways.
Here, she is excellent. As a guilt-ridden single mother who has created a peaceful, albeit secluded life as a beekeeper with her young daughter, played by the incredible Fivel Stewart.
She and her daughter spend their time mostly on the gorgeous expanse of their farmhouse property. Jarring honey, reading books, homeschooling, and literally burning the daylight.
You see, due to childhood trauma suffered from her mother, Sandra Oh's character has a fear of electricity. This knowledge is given out in the opening, so no spoilers here.
The small family of mother and daughter live by natural light during the day, and lanterns at night.
Their only social outlet seems to be in the form of Dermot Mulroney (another Alexander Payne fave-About Schmidt!) who plays Danny, and he runs the nearby country store and sells the family's jarred honey with the help of his niece, River (the always spectacular Odeya Rush!) At this point in the film, you might have questions such as I. Such as, what is the history of Danny and Amanda? It seems they have known each other for quite some time. Their professional arrangement is on full display now, but was there ever anything else between them, even briefly? At one point I wondered if he might be the father of Amanda's daughter, but then discounted the thought on my own as the film progressed. And then also, being so isolated. Wouldn't their honey business thrive at a local farmer's market or something? Couldn't they get out and do that? But then, maybe that whole electricity angle stops that from occurring in their history? I don't know.
Moving on, other than just the two of them, mother and daughter on that massive farm property, life looks pretty sweet. Gorgeous views. Low electricity bill. Chickens roaming around, pecking about.
It's all good, until a long lost uncle from Korea appears uninvited with the unexpected and even more uninvited remains of Amanda's estranged Umma, which translates to Mother.
It is explained that basically the longer her remains are kept in the suitcase, the worse things will get.
Well, you would think Amanda would just get to digging at that point. Why she doesn't is never really explained. There would be no movie, I guess is why.
There are some good scenes in this movie. All of the characters are likable. It's an interesting story. It is well acted and nicely directed. If there's anything to discover here it's the fantastic work of the writer/director, Iris K. Shim, and actress Fivel Stewart. Both show great promises of bright futures in the film industry.
The film runs a quick hour and twenty-three minutes. There are worse things you could do with your time. Just don't tell your Umma about it.
It's not a bad film at all.
Is it scary?
Not really. But most horror films these days are not what I would define as terrifying. It's PG-13, but that has nothing to do with effectiveness of a psychological thriller.
This is very much a movie about the matriarchy. It's about mothers and daughters. It's about generational differences.
I know there are horror fans checking out as they read this, saying out loud, Nope, Nope. Not gonna do this one.
I think that would be a mistake. I wanted to like this film more than I did. And I didn't dislike it. Like most modern horror films, it just didn't have it.
It does have Sandra Oh. Whom I adore. I've never watched one second of Grey's Anatomy, but I've held this deep admiration for Oh since seeing her career-defining performance in one of my all-time favorite films, Sideways.
Here, she is excellent. As a guilt-ridden single mother who has created a peaceful, albeit secluded life as a beekeeper with her young daughter, played by the incredible Fivel Stewart.
She and her daughter spend their time mostly on the gorgeous expanse of their farmhouse property. Jarring honey, reading books, homeschooling, and literally burning the daylight.
You see, due to childhood trauma suffered from her mother, Sandra Oh's character has a fear of electricity. This knowledge is given out in the opening, so no spoilers here.
The small family of mother and daughter live by natural light during the day, and lanterns at night.
Their only social outlet seems to be in the form of Dermot Mulroney (another Alexander Payne fave-About Schmidt!) who plays Danny, and he runs the nearby country store and sells the family's jarred honey with the help of his niece, River (the always spectacular Odeya Rush!) At this point in the film, you might have questions such as I. Such as, what is the history of Danny and Amanda? It seems they have known each other for quite some time. Their professional arrangement is on full display now, but was there ever anything else between them, even briefly? At one point I wondered if he might be the father of Amanda's daughter, but then discounted the thought on my own as the film progressed. And then also, being so isolated. Wouldn't their honey business thrive at a local farmer's market or something? Couldn't they get out and do that? But then, maybe that whole electricity angle stops that from occurring in their history? I don't know.
Moving on, other than just the two of them, mother and daughter on that massive farm property, life looks pretty sweet. Gorgeous views. Low electricity bill. Chickens roaming around, pecking about.
It's all good, until a long lost uncle from Korea appears uninvited with the unexpected and even more uninvited remains of Amanda's estranged Umma, which translates to Mother.
It is explained that basically the longer her remains are kept in the suitcase, the worse things will get.
Well, you would think Amanda would just get to digging at that point. Why she doesn't is never really explained. There would be no movie, I guess is why.
There are some good scenes in this movie. All of the characters are likable. It's an interesting story. It is well acted and nicely directed. If there's anything to discover here it's the fantastic work of the writer/director, Iris K. Shim, and actress Fivel Stewart. Both show great promises of bright futures in the film industry.
The film runs a quick hour and twenty-three minutes. There are worse things you could do with your time. Just don't tell your Umma about it.
Bad
PedroPires9023 March 2022
Honestly, a bad film. In horror most of the times "less is more" and this film is imcredibly annoying in how it wants to do something every 30 seconds. It can be the sound effects, it can be something in the mirror, something behind you, some dream, some internal voice, a jumpscare...every 30 seconds and I'm not lying. This turns out to have the precisely opposite effect.
It wants to say a lot of things and it passes those messages even through some clunky dialogue that doesn't feel natural at all. One or two good enough scenes but in general a huge disappointment (I would say the opening credits are the best thing). Really unispired ending and full of clichés.
It wants to say a lot of things and it passes those messages even through some clunky dialogue that doesn't feel natural at all. One or two good enough scenes but in general a huge disappointment (I would say the opening credits are the best thing). Really unispired ending and full of clichés.
A Mother Of A Movie!!!
zardoz-1326 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Some of the best scary sagas involve the occult. The filmmakers need not resort to jarring jump scares, shrieking musical cues, and/or prosthetic gore to induce fear. Our heroine tangles with a spirit from beyond the grave. The dread we feel grows out of our sympathy for her predicament. The horror is largely character-driven in this chiller about a woman who refuses to be dominated by her mom. Eventually, her nerve-racking anxiety smolders until it reaches a relentless climax when really weird things occur. In her cinematic debut, writer & director Iris K. Shim has conjured up a gripping, white-knuckled yarn about an adult daughter's estranged but deceased mother who hounds her from the grave. Predictably, the harmony between our first-generation Korean American protagonist, Amanda (Sandra Oh of "Sideways"), and her teenage daughter Chris (Fivel Stewart of "Pit Fighter") in "Umma" breaks down about half-way into this brooding, 83-minute, PG-13 rated, nail-biter. During Amanda's youth, her abusive mom (MeeWha Alana Lee) wielded live electric wires to shock and scorch her as punishment for her disobedience. Predictably, Amanda's traumatic memories aggravated her phobia about electricity. Although her house is wired for electricity, she curtails its usage. Amanda and Chris live ascetic lives. They raise honey bees in a remote orchard somewhere out west. Incidentally, sales of their honey have been so successful they cannot keep up with demand. Out of the blue one day, Amanda's irate uncle, Mr. Kang (Tom Yi of "The Purge"), rolls up at their farm in a rental without warning. Scolding Amanda, he enlightens her about her mother's passage and presents her with a suitcase laden with her artifacts and ashes. This ominous suitcase constitutes the equivalent of a Pandora's box. After years of blessed solitude, Amanda shrinks at the prospect of disposing of her unwonted mom's cremains. Ultimately, our heroine and her dead mother wind up waging paranormal warfare.
Since she is Korean American, Shim enlivens this atmospheric chiller with allusions to native folklore. Appropriately, "Umma" is Korean for 'mother.' Strict rules of conduct dictate the roles of both mother & daughter. Shim uses these cultural decrees to shape and foreshadow this disturbing narrative that never wears out its welcome. When he berates Amanda for being a bad daughter, Mr. Kang reflects his Korean heritage. "It's the child's obligation to her parents both in life and forever afterward." Sadly, Kang knows nothing about Amanda's harrowing upbringing. Worse, her uncle lays an old-fashioned guilt trip on her. He holds Amanda responsible for her mother's heart attack because the former abandoned the latter. He rebukes Amanda for adopting an American name and shunning her Korean name. Living off the grid as she does, Amanda has neither a cell phone nor an email address. Was it a miracle Mr. Kang found her? Or did her evil mother lead him to her! Kang continues, "And now she is trapped in this world like a gwiskin." A gwiskin is a Korean ghost. Kang warns Amanda her mother's "anger will grow as long as she remains in the box." He adds, "Each day her pain will turn to poison and seep into you. Your mother always gets what she wants. You know what she's capable of." "Umma" could have easily slipped into parody, but it testifies to Shim's sincerity that it never does.
"Umma" dramatizes the problems some people have with their parents. They live in dread at the prospect of repeating their mistakes. Widowed and living with her daughter, Amanda hasn't let Chris out of her sight except to send her on biking errands into town. Amanda's only other direct contact is a storekeeper, Danny (Dermot Mulroney of "Young Guns"), who markets her goods. No, everything between Amanda and Danny is strictly business. Mind you, Danny has a niece, River (Odeya Rush of "Spinning Man"), who is visiting him. Chris and River become friends. River introduces Chris to makeup. Pandemonium rages afterward when Amanda contends not only with her dead mother's spirit but also her own daughter's decision to attend college. Later, Amanda discovers college entrance forms and is devastated that Chris hid them from her. At the same time, Chris begins to doubt her mother's phobia with electricity. Eventually, Amanda's evil mother wields enough power over her to make her into her own puppet to punish her granddaughter. Comparably, "Umma" isn't as sensational as "The Conjuring" and "Insidious" film franchises. Nevertheless, "Umma" delivers enough thrills and chills to keep you watching and wondering: Is our heroine deluding herself when she sees her mother? Or is her mom a truly malevolent spirit? Keeping everything simple, subtle, and straightforward, Shim depicts our heroine's titanic struggle with a mother she abhors and makes "Umma" a tenacious tale.
Since she is Korean American, Shim enlivens this atmospheric chiller with allusions to native folklore. Appropriately, "Umma" is Korean for 'mother.' Strict rules of conduct dictate the roles of both mother & daughter. Shim uses these cultural decrees to shape and foreshadow this disturbing narrative that never wears out its welcome. When he berates Amanda for being a bad daughter, Mr. Kang reflects his Korean heritage. "It's the child's obligation to her parents both in life and forever afterward." Sadly, Kang knows nothing about Amanda's harrowing upbringing. Worse, her uncle lays an old-fashioned guilt trip on her. He holds Amanda responsible for her mother's heart attack because the former abandoned the latter. He rebukes Amanda for adopting an American name and shunning her Korean name. Living off the grid as she does, Amanda has neither a cell phone nor an email address. Was it a miracle Mr. Kang found her? Or did her evil mother lead him to her! Kang continues, "And now she is trapped in this world like a gwiskin." A gwiskin is a Korean ghost. Kang warns Amanda her mother's "anger will grow as long as she remains in the box." He adds, "Each day her pain will turn to poison and seep into you. Your mother always gets what she wants. You know what she's capable of." "Umma" could have easily slipped into parody, but it testifies to Shim's sincerity that it never does.
"Umma" dramatizes the problems some people have with their parents. They live in dread at the prospect of repeating their mistakes. Widowed and living with her daughter, Amanda hasn't let Chris out of her sight except to send her on biking errands into town. Amanda's only other direct contact is a storekeeper, Danny (Dermot Mulroney of "Young Guns"), who markets her goods. No, everything between Amanda and Danny is strictly business. Mind you, Danny has a niece, River (Odeya Rush of "Spinning Man"), who is visiting him. Chris and River become friends. River introduces Chris to makeup. Pandemonium rages afterward when Amanda contends not only with her dead mother's spirit but also her own daughter's decision to attend college. Later, Amanda discovers college entrance forms and is devastated that Chris hid them from her. At the same time, Chris begins to doubt her mother's phobia with electricity. Eventually, Amanda's evil mother wields enough power over her to make her into her own puppet to punish her granddaughter. Comparably, "Umma" isn't as sensational as "The Conjuring" and "Insidious" film franchises. Nevertheless, "Umma" delivers enough thrills and chills to keep you watching and wondering: Is our heroine deluding herself when she sees her mother? Or is her mom a truly malevolent spirit? Keeping everything simple, subtle, and straightforward, Shim depicts our heroine's titanic struggle with a mother she abhors and makes "Umma" a tenacious tale.
Um...Uh...
MackMonMay8721 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I'll admit I'm not the biggest fan of horror films, but I gave Umma a try. I am giving this a 6 out of 10 mainly on the strength of Sandra Oh's acting. I haven't seen her in a major role in a while, and she really does deserve better than this.
All of the non-horror movie elements of this movie are the most interesting. If they had refocused the plot, made it more psychological, and take place more deeply inside her mind, that would make sense to me.
A tense conversation in the family orchard was the most affecting part of the movie to me, not the jumpscares, fakeouts, hacky CGI and loud music swells. Modern horror directors need to revisit the discomfort and intensity of The Exorcist or The Shining, or the classics of Asian horror, because it seems like a lot of horror movies are lukewarm like this, and don't push the intensity or dread nearly enough.
I also have to touch on the contrived writing where Oh's character has the same imagined electrical allergy as Saul Goodman's brother. The fact that she note for note acts and lives like him was distracting and implausible. You mean she never sought therapy for her issue once in the decades after escaping her mother? That didn't become a logistical nightmare in modern America? She didn't even seem to have a land-line!! How would she call medics if her daughter was ever hurt on their farm? She says she used to be an accountant..how??
This aspect of the movie was a hamfisted way to isolate the characters and artificially construct suspense where none existed. It's fine if she hates technology, has issues with it, lives in a tech-minimal way, sure. It'd even be okay if she grew to break apart all her appliances throughout the movie as she lost more and more control, but to have her living a pseudo-Amish lifestyle with a teenage daughter (who questions none of their way of living and believes her mother a little to readily) from the very start is way too far fetched.
The only other points I'll give it is that the daughter is a decent actress and the cinematography for the most part is pretty solid. Umma? More like, um..nah.
All of the non-horror movie elements of this movie are the most interesting. If they had refocused the plot, made it more psychological, and take place more deeply inside her mind, that would make sense to me.
A tense conversation in the family orchard was the most affecting part of the movie to me, not the jumpscares, fakeouts, hacky CGI and loud music swells. Modern horror directors need to revisit the discomfort and intensity of The Exorcist or The Shining, or the classics of Asian horror, because it seems like a lot of horror movies are lukewarm like this, and don't push the intensity or dread nearly enough.
I also have to touch on the contrived writing where Oh's character has the same imagined electrical allergy as Saul Goodman's brother. The fact that she note for note acts and lives like him was distracting and implausible. You mean she never sought therapy for her issue once in the decades after escaping her mother? That didn't become a logistical nightmare in modern America? She didn't even seem to have a land-line!! How would she call medics if her daughter was ever hurt on their farm? She says she used to be an accountant..how??
This aspect of the movie was a hamfisted way to isolate the characters and artificially construct suspense where none existed. It's fine if she hates technology, has issues with it, lives in a tech-minimal way, sure. It'd even be okay if she grew to break apart all her appliances throughout the movie as she lost more and more control, but to have her living a pseudo-Amish lifestyle with a teenage daughter (who questions none of their way of living and believes her mother a little to readily) from the very start is way too far fetched.
The only other points I'll give it is that the daughter is a decent actress and the cinematography for the most part is pretty solid. Umma? More like, um..nah.
Just dumb
lindajohnson-3620521 March 2022
Exploring the Complexities of Mothers, Daughters, and Toxic Relationships
presselking4 December 2022
UMMA explores the complexities of mothers and daughters, toxic relationships, the fear of abandonment, and inherited trauma. There are light spoilers ahead. Written and directed by Iris Shim, with Sam Raimi producing, the film follows Amanda (Sandra Oh), a Korean immigrant and single mother, who lives on a secluded farm with her daughter Chrissy "Chris" (Fivel Stewart). They are almost completely isolated from the outside world, keeping bees and selling honey. Amanda has homeschooled and sheltered Chris for most of her life in a futile attempt to keep her close. The two share an intense bond, that for Amanda stems from deep-rooted trauma.
As a child, Amanda was abused by her mother, locked in a room, and punished with electrified wires for running away or misbehaving. When Chrissy was an infant, fearful of becoming her mother and repeating abusive habits, Amanda shut off the electrical box under her house. Determined to prevent the atrocities she suffered from happening to Chris, she also concocts a lie about a sensitivity to electronics to ensure they can live an electricity-free life.
Amanda has suppressed her childhood trauma. Her uncle arrives from Korea, to deliver her Umma's (Korean for mother) ashes in the hopes that she will perform a Jesa ceremony to put her mother's soul to rest. Her uncle explains that Amanda's mother cried out for her as she died, triggering Amanda's fear and anxiety response to her trauma. She hears echoes of the abuse she suffered, her mother's voice whispering in her ear, visions of her mother's ghost, and waking nightmares. I believe that the ghost of her mother and the haunting aren't reality, but a psychological manifestation causing delirium and manic delusions.
Amanda is suffering from post-traumatic stress that is compounded by the discovery that Chris wants to leave for college. Amanda fears that she will be abandoned which only amplifies her desire to keep Chris close, even if it means fracturing their bond. She projects her fear onto their relationship, and the more she fights against the dissolution of their co-dependency, the more toxic their relationship becomes. This in turn mirrors Amanda's relationship with her mother, and causes her acute distress. It isn't difficult to relate to having a complicated and dysfunctional relationship with your mother. Chris needs to assert her independence, breaking free from the claustrophobic isolation of the farm, feeling othered, and her mother's somewhat suffocating love. Moving away to attend college is a logical way to escape her situation and an attempt to do so without hurting her mother's feelings.
UMMA doesn't fail to communicate any of its core themes, but they are muddied by the film's lack of tension, and poorly executed jump scares. There's a little too much going on with the way the haunting is represented, which often broke my ability to immerse myself in the narrative. Certain cliches and cultural stereotypes, including the appearance of a Kitsune or Gumiho were perplexing at best. In Korean mythology, the nine-tailed fox is an evil seducer of men, whereas, in Japanese folklore, it is an evil fox with paranormal abilities that can shapeshift into human form. The fox seems meant to symbolize Umma (MeeWha Alana Lee) but is a poor addition to the film's third act. Oh delivers a stunning performance as the tormented Amanda, her portrayal of anguish and fear is easily believed, while the other performances leave much to be desired.
While the supernatural horror film is a mediocre missed opportunity, its themes make it worth a single viewing. Audiences shouldn't expect a film that will instill terror, but one that uses its horror elements to explore putting what haunts you to rest.
As a child, Amanda was abused by her mother, locked in a room, and punished with electrified wires for running away or misbehaving. When Chrissy was an infant, fearful of becoming her mother and repeating abusive habits, Amanda shut off the electrical box under her house. Determined to prevent the atrocities she suffered from happening to Chris, she also concocts a lie about a sensitivity to electronics to ensure they can live an electricity-free life.
Amanda has suppressed her childhood trauma. Her uncle arrives from Korea, to deliver her Umma's (Korean for mother) ashes in the hopes that she will perform a Jesa ceremony to put her mother's soul to rest. Her uncle explains that Amanda's mother cried out for her as she died, triggering Amanda's fear and anxiety response to her trauma. She hears echoes of the abuse she suffered, her mother's voice whispering in her ear, visions of her mother's ghost, and waking nightmares. I believe that the ghost of her mother and the haunting aren't reality, but a psychological manifestation causing delirium and manic delusions.
Amanda is suffering from post-traumatic stress that is compounded by the discovery that Chris wants to leave for college. Amanda fears that she will be abandoned which only amplifies her desire to keep Chris close, even if it means fracturing their bond. She projects her fear onto their relationship, and the more she fights against the dissolution of their co-dependency, the more toxic their relationship becomes. This in turn mirrors Amanda's relationship with her mother, and causes her acute distress. It isn't difficult to relate to having a complicated and dysfunctional relationship with your mother. Chris needs to assert her independence, breaking free from the claustrophobic isolation of the farm, feeling othered, and her mother's somewhat suffocating love. Moving away to attend college is a logical way to escape her situation and an attempt to do so without hurting her mother's feelings.
UMMA doesn't fail to communicate any of its core themes, but they are muddied by the film's lack of tension, and poorly executed jump scares. There's a little too much going on with the way the haunting is represented, which often broke my ability to immerse myself in the narrative. Certain cliches and cultural stereotypes, including the appearance of a Kitsune or Gumiho were perplexing at best. In Korean mythology, the nine-tailed fox is an evil seducer of men, whereas, in Japanese folklore, it is an evil fox with paranormal abilities that can shapeshift into human form. The fox seems meant to symbolize Umma (MeeWha Alana Lee) but is a poor addition to the film's third act. Oh delivers a stunning performance as the tormented Amanda, her portrayal of anguish and fear is easily believed, while the other performances leave much to be desired.
While the supernatural horror film is a mediocre missed opportunity, its themes make it worth a single viewing. Audiences shouldn't expect a film that will instill terror, but one that uses its horror elements to explore putting what haunts you to rest.
This movie def doesn't have any replay value.
jjdynamic21 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
As much as its branded as a horror film, it's low end psychological "thriller" at best. The backstory of the main character's childhood abuse wasn't really truly explained clear, you just had to take the little key clues they did give and had to assume her mother used to shock her alot. Visual flashbacks probably would have helped the movie out a little bit more.
This is another movie that had a potentially good idea, but it didnt do any good with it. Didnt too much like the daughter character once she started to get rebellious and curious. This movie was very forgettable. Creepy nonetheless, but nothing scary with the usual jumpscares.
This is another movie that had a potentially good idea, but it didnt do any good with it. Didnt too much like the daughter character once she started to get rebellious and curious. This movie was very forgettable. Creepy nonetheless, but nothing scary with the usual jumpscares.
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