While it's not a terribly original entry in the "creepy doll" horror subgenre, this fright flick nonetheless offers interesting characters, a strong cast, expert pacing, and a spooky atmosphere. Resorting to annoying jump-scares only a couple of times, director William Brent Bell (of the decidedly inferior The Devil Inside) takes his time exploring the scary old house, using animal heads, off-kilter angles, and sound to give THE BOY a sense of dread. Bell even goes back to that old standby, the shower scene, to add vulnerability to his character

William Brent Bell is going for Victorian chills with paranormal subtext. Creepy, psychological horror. Dozens of jump scares, a plethora of eerie moments and Katie Holmes returning to a genre she hasn't done in a good while.