The Moogai

"Terrific idea, patchy execution (...) What saves 'The Moogai' is its haunting final image" 

"Bell obviously has a lot of ideas on his mind, and he ably trojan horses the history of Aboriginal stolen children into the skin of a horror film. But I often found myself wishing that the surface details and genre requirements were as thought through as the meaning behind them" 

"Though Bell has broken some ground that renders this a novel watch, those looking for hair-raising horror or a salient social drama best lower expectations." 

"There is a very important story being told in 'The Moogai'. It’s just a shame that it isn’t given the proper attention it deserves, with Bell opting for cheap scares and surface-level observations instead of something richer (...) Rating: ★★½ (out of 5)" 

"Bell’s directorial debut lacks confidence or interest in being much of a horror movie, beyond squeezing everything unique and meaningful about its premise into a one-size-fits-all genre template." 

"The potent meaning and imagery behind Jon Bell’s tale of Aboriginal suffering fail to coalesce" 

" The film attempts to explore generational trauma but lacks the patience and thoughtfulness needed to reach the necessary emotional heights."