Tara Maldita

The book and play were masterpieces of psychological theories in the 1950s. The studios bowed to the censors when making the film and altered the ending. But this atrocity is beyond reason the worst concept of remaking anything of that era. Even changing her name to EMMA? As Monika stated in the original film's ending, "We still have Rhoda" bites the dust, I recommend everyone avoid this throwaway schlock and read the novel, rent or stream the original film and enjoy the REAL show!

After a strange series of accidents, a single father comes to believe that the incidents centered around his young daughter have more truth to them than expected and begins to suspect that she's far more dangerous to the others around her than he thinks.

This was a decent enough if wholly unnecessary entry. One of the few positive aspects here is the incredibly enjoyable manner in which this one sets up the evil child routine. With the film resting nicely on the idea of her being so coy about her true intentions, the overall idea that emerges here is the creepy, ice-cold demeanor and focused mentality that comes from her complete detachment with her feelings. This is a fine setup later as her manipulative behavior from the start is taken to new heights with her behavior, lying about the various accidents and injuries that she either suffers to engender sympathy or causes to others, including the opening scenes on the school grounds or the strange series of incidents that pile up around her and those around the family that are related to everyone while she continually pulls the wool over everyone in the cause of keeping her secret alive. These here are what hold this up over its main flaws here. The main issue here is the fact that the film plays itself out far more like a thriller than a genuine genre effort, keeping it so focused on whether or not she'll get away with the lies that it never really develops any kind of macabre atmosphere with the way it presents itself. The manipulation attempts and cold, icy demeanor may make her quite a calculating figure but it does nothing to help turn this into a genre feature as that holds the film down to such a bare minimum of sequences that focus on outright terror due to that. The focus on the thriller aspects also causes this to feel way too overlong with the overbearing clinging to him that doesn't do much beyond enhancing what we already knew about her personality so the focus on her being that psychotic doesn't register as scary or creepy in that case. As well, the entire subplot about the nanny who has something to prove by letting her get away with everything is quite problematic and doesn't really serve the film well with her being on the kids' side from the beginning. With a limp finale hamstrung by the inability to do much because of the channel restrictions, this one comes up rather lame in the end.

Rated Unrated/PG-13: Violence, Language and themes of children in danger.

It had a good start. But then it turned into a lousy lifetime movie. Watch the 1956 original instead! It had so much more depth and feeling. This one started out with some depth but got shallower and shallower. Soon enough it was like you are watching a puddle. I couldn't wait for it to end. It was really an unpleasant movie to watch. The entire time, I mentally compared it to the original and wished I was watching that one instead. Emma and the acting wasn't too bad. But the dramatic scenes of Chloe in the garage just didn't match the horror of Henry Jones. The distraught mother in 1956 held a lot more emotion. The best part was when Patty McCormack said her couple of gem lines. The ending was a little different but nothing to wow you. If given a choice watch the original.

Not bad for a Lifetime Movie. The film is definitely a B-movie with its overly simple cast, sets, plot, but even in it's simplicity it's not terrible. It reminds me of The Orphan. I enjoy these kind of movies, because they think outside the box, of the average film.

We watch Emma Grossman as she tries to navigate her dark impulses and appear normal to the world. We see this simple twist of a child who does her best to mimic emotion, out smart adults and get everything she wants.

The story is interesting in the fact that we know from the start what she is. And its fun to watch her try and trick everyone. The acting in the movie is poor, but Mckenna Grace shines. Somehow she held the film on her shoulders at such a young age, she has talent. Rob Lowe really didn't add much to the movie and the cheesy PG love thing really didn't help with the story. The lines were cringe in places and I swear that babysitter was a little bit psychopathic herself. But overall it kept my attention.

I'm very curious what the original 1956 film is like. If they compare at all.

Well worth a look, not far short of being a genuine cinematic release.