Clip It: Each day, Jon Davis looks at the world of trailers, featurettes, and clips and puts it all in perspective.
“Don't say it, don't think it!” That's the tagline of The Bye Bye Man. Or at the very least, it's the phrase we hear many different times, as these college age people run, hallucinate and run some more.
It starts out looking a bit too much like the myth of the Slender Man, who has appeared in various photos throughout history. And who may or may not have a history of killing children. It depends on what fan fiction writer you ask.
And then it appears to devolve into an even more typical story about people running from a creepy person with a name that I don't find frightening: The Bye Bye Man. To my ear, it sounds like a name a toddler might come up it. Like it's the name of the friendly male teacher who waves everyone goodbye after a hard day of preschool. Maybe that's part of the deal, I don't know.
But nitpicks aside, I'm watching The Bye Bye Man no matter what. And you know why? It's written by none other than Jonathan Penner! If you don't know who he is, he's played Survivor three times.
Yes, that Survivor, the one with Jeff Probst. Yes, it's still on TV. And it's still a great show. Jonathan was a great character. Funny, warm and socially gifted. Although he never came that close to winning, he knows his way around an experience that takes its emotional toll and stresses your body to its limits. As a horror fan and a Survivor fan, I'm honor bound to give him and his wife Stacy Title, who directed this movie, a solid viewing.
Come with me!