Initial reviews for Rob Savage's new horror film, Other Mommy, starring Jessica Chastain, are largely negative, with critics citing issues with pacing, weak horror elements, and unintentional comedy. The film, which opened on October 9, has garnered a low score of 20% on Rotten Tomatoes as of its initial review wave.
Universal Studios opted to bypass most critic screenings, leading to a limited number of early reviews. Those that have emerged highlight a lack of dread and build-up, with many suggesting the film's most effective moments were already revealed in its initial trailer. Fresh Fiction gave the movie 2 out of 5 stars, stating, "if you’ve seen the teaser trailer, then you’ve basically seen the best part of this movie."
Despite director Rob Savage's reputation for horror and a promotional push emphasizing a high number of jump scares, critics found these elements to be ineffective. The Hollywood Reporter noted that "the film is missing a sense of dreadful build-up that might help its scares sink in deeper," calling it an "attractive but mostly vacuous collection of jumpy bits and half-baked mythology."
Further criticism came from Global Box Office, which described the direction as "sloppy," the score "unremarkable," and the screenplay "terrible," concluding that "not even Chastain can save such a terrible screenplay." The review suggested that the film is bogged down by "cheap melodrama and repetitive, failed jump scares."
While Other Mommy may not be a critical success, some reviewers suggest it could serve as a light, albeit unintentionally funny, viewing experience for the Halloween season. The Jam Report described it as an "unintentionally hilarious endurance test."