Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Absolutely Fantastic

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

I'm quite surprised by all the other reviews which apparently contains negative comments on the movie. Definitely understood the point of view though, after I read those comments - they make sense. However, I saw this movie when I was a kid (younger than 10 I believe), and it hit my heart so deep that I couldn't forget it until 15 years later. I didn't remember the title, probably because I was too small to care about it. But I do remember the plot and the actors and all the emotions it made me feel back then when I was a kid. So lately, I've tried different ways to find out the title of the movie and now I've watched it several times back. I still liked it. I agree, Culkin's acting (and especially his sister's) was probably poor. And there were some missing elements as to the explanation of "why" or "how". But overall, I love this movie because (in an extreme way, I know), it shows you although evil can be anywhere, but it will never win. Culkin's character (Henry), although was an arrogant evil, was also as unaware as other kids. This was portrayed by him thinking that he can always manipulate his family no matter how evil he is; that his family will always defend him no matter what, of which this was proven wrong at the end of the movie. Which created a very strong moral impression to me back then: don't be a bad person, cause at the end you won't win - and nobody in their right mind will defend you or support you on being a bad person, especially your family.But, most importantly I love this movie because it left a deep impression and create a very strong mark for me as a child watching it - no negative impact (i'm not becoming a sociopath now nor have I developed any psychopathic mental disorders) - just an emotional, melancholic, and nostalgic nudge to me as an adult today.

At aged 15, I read the Movie tie-in Novel by Ian McEwan and Todd Strasser before it was disappointingly banned shortly for the unrelated Jamie Bulgar case, it was the Best Thriller I ever read and always delighted to read through again and again, with the smiling Angelic Macaulay Culkin on the cover. Read the Book first if You can because it is very Smart. To my surprise, the Movie is available but United Kingdom always has strange standards. People who claim this movie is slow are probably born after this 1993 movie, because most Thrillers in the 1990's didn't have a cliché horror "surprises" element, they were steady paced. The Good Son had the atmosphere and pace of the movie Unfaithful starring Diane Lane, and Richard Gere; and Birth, Nicole Kidman and Lauren Bacall as cast, like the Golden Hollywood era of Thrillers with a modern twist. I am glad the Movie didn't have cliché shocks and heart attack music or panic pulse music score all the way through, because there is too much movies like that around nowadays, so it is good to have variety of production. The chills are in the performance of the Actors, that is how it should be isn't it?.Macaulay Culkin gave a calculating, cold and analytical approach, very manipulative and secretly menacing, I never thought of Kevin McCallister at all. Totally different and chilling, he is one scary Child. Elijah Wood, his cute petrified expressions is perfect for making you see his Troubled time of his life be dealing with the recent death of his Mother, and yet, the Horror of being like a observing witness, feeling helpless and figures how to stop his Budding Serial Killer Cousin.The self discovery of feeling an euphoria high on committing heinous acts by being able to "fly". Animal torture, Attempting murder, carry out dark and deadly fantasies, conscience doesn't bother Henry Evans (Culkin) all signs of a Future Serial Killer, probably the worst and elusive one yet.Two Young Good-looking Actors, did carry out the movie well, it is close to the book, but the novel is more detailed and has more scary moments, the movie is more toned down with psychological aspect of the Human nature.My advice, read the book if you can get it somewhere in this Country then watch the movie. You see how accurate the characters are to the actors.As for another Evil Child, Bad Seed by Patty McCormack as Rhonda Penmark. The movie is all talk and no action, she behaves like a stuck-Up girl that didn't get a Pony for her Birthday, the mother that finds out her Daughter's secret is annoying, gets shocked all the time, the ending was stupid, I mean completely utterly dumb, that pleases the folk of 1950's. It was original to portray a Child being Evil, but Bad Seed failed because it pleased the censors.So there you have it Henry Evans Wins.

To me, nothing is scarier than an evil child. These kids are pure evil wrapped in the guise of innocence. They can usually get away with whatever they want and no one suspects their cute little angel of being a monster. Even if they are caught, what can anyone really do about it anyway? If that's not frighten enough, think about the fact that every serial killer on earth was at one time a child, and films like The Good Son represent a story that could be happening right now. The film begins when young Mark (Elijah Wood) losses his mother in a traffic accident. Mark's father is so distraught that he needs some time to himself and sends his son to live with his brother's family in the country. Both families think it will be good for Mark to be around someone his own age, his cousin Henry (Macaulay Culkin), but what they didn't know is that Henry is pure evil and has killed before. We see stories like this from time to time, but never one that is so realistic. When you think Killer Kids, movies like The Omen come to mind, but this is different as Henry isn't possessed, he's just a psychopath. This was Macaulay Culkin's first role after Home Alone and he is beyond terrific. At his age, Culkin is asked to play two roles, the innocent kid with the face of an angel and the demented psycho with the heart of the devil. How a pre-teen, who'd only been in two films prior, could accomplish such a feat, is nothing short of astounding. Elijah Wood is also great, showing that some people are just naturally talented. I've seen Wood in dozen's of things since The Good Son and his eyes still creep me out, it's almost like he can see right through you, and that might have made him a better choice to play Henry. While Wood might have had the look, you'd be hard pressed to find any kid who could do a better job than Culkin did here. The Good Son is mysterious, creepy, and a whole lot of fun to watch. It's among my favorite Horror films and really is one of the most underrated films of the nineties.

Following his mother's death, Mark Evans (Elijah Wood) is sent to Maine to stay with his uncle (Daniel Hugh Kelly) and aunt (Wendy Crewson) by his father (David Morse). He becomes fast friends with cousin Henry (Macaulay Culkin). However, Henry shows signs of manipulative violence and all the classic bad boy behavior. He is obsessed with death and may have killed his little brother.This was big news to see young Macaulay Culkin play a bad guy. He shows that he has great range as a child actor. I just think that the movie works better as a straight up horror. Director Joseph Ruben who just filmed 'Sleeping with the Enemy' is using a similar style. This has a little too much of that movie-of-the-week feel. There is a good creepiness about this but that's all Ruben achieves. Every adult is an idiot and the movie strains under that construction. Why doesn't Mark call his father again? Why doesn't the father call the psychiatrist? The movie bends over backwards to come up with that ending. I don't have a problem with evil kids in horror. It's a try and true subject, but this is not a good example.