HORROR MOVIE REVIEW: ROSEMARY’s BABY
Alright alright — first off, Happy Halloween!
For all who celebrate, today’s your day. For those who don’t… what’s wrong with you?
Anyway, we’ve got three horror movie reviews coming your way today, so check back this afternoon and tonight. I missed the last few Fridays between being sick and the Baltimore trip, so we’re making up for it today — on the greatest day on the calendar!
So, onto our first review. I know we’ve already covered Rosemary’s Baby, but I saw it in theaters last night with my lovely wife, and I’ve got to say — actually sitting down and watching a movie without being on your phone, writing a blog, or grading funny books makes a world of difference. Especially when it’s a true masterpiece like Rosemary’s Baby.
Story – 8.8 🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖
The story is different and fresh — not your typical horror film. It isn’t overly complicated, but it’s far from a simple “white-mask-chasing-babysitters” setup.
Rosemary and her husband Guy move into a new apartment. Guy’s an actor whose career just isn’t taking off, and Rosemary is a sweet, stay-at-home wife who really wants to have children.
The best part of the movie is how the plot unfolds with such subtlety. They meet their new neighbors — Roman and Minnie — a strange older couple who definitely don’t understand boundaries. After Guy spends some time with Roman, his career suddenly starts turning around. He even lands a part after another actor mysteriously goes blind.
Soon after, Rosemary gets pregnant, but it’s far from an easy one. She’s in constant pain, and her doctor (recommended by Roman and Minnie, of course) keeps telling her it’ll go away. It’s suspenseful, creepy, and thrilling — the perfect horror movie for the season. Polanski does a great job keeping you on your toes. Is Rosemary onto something sinister… or is it just a really rough pregnancy?
Monster/Villain – 8.1 🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖
What’s interesting is that almost everyone in the movie is a villain — Guy, Minnie, Roman, and their weird group of friends. And boy, are they creepy.
It’s not clear they’re villains until the end. At first, they just seem odd or intrusive, but nothing that screams evil. There’s no on-screen violence or blood, which makes it even more unsettling. Is it just a strange coincidence that bad things keep happening to people around the Woodhouses?
Actors/Characters – 8.7 🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖
Mia Farrow steals the show. She’s tremendous — I’m not sure who won the Oscar in 1969, but it should’ve been her. She’s on screen almost the entire film and carries it beautifully.
Ruth Gordon is fantastic as Minnie — the sweet, nosy old neighbor who’s annoying, but not malicious (at first). John Cassavetes is perfectly slimy as Guy, the husband who manages to be a dirtbag from start to finish.
Joe Score – 9.2 🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖
Rosemary’s Baby is truly a great film — but you have to watch it and pay attention. If you’re distracted, you’ll miss out on some of the best, most subtle storytelling horror has to offer.
