The word “prodigy” sparks notions of a gifted young person with near superhuman learning abilities that allow them to retain information and use that same information with advanced skill. Unfortunately, there weren’t any prodigies involved in the making of this movie. With that being said, if you’re just looking for a formulaic horror flic for cheap thrills, “The Prodigy” fits the bill.
Taylor Schilling provides the little star power as the mother of a special little boy, Miles, who shows sparks of hyper-intellectualism. Sarah (Schilling) and John are thrilled to know they are raising such a unique child until they are faced with the reality that there is more under the hood than just a smarter-than-average son.
Miles shows flashes of anger issues that progress into violent outburst; leaving his parents to search for clues as to what is causing these episodes. In the opening scene, you learn that Miles was born at the exact moment a psychotic criminal commits suicide-by-cop. As the story progresses, the criminal past comes to light and the connection is obvious as discovered by Miles’s team of therapists.
The problem with film isn’t the concept, because there’s a ton of potential in a kid genius that can use his special skills for evil. The main issue, as with most modern horror films, is the movie trades originality for cheap scares and predictable jumps. The “jump factor” isn’t even enough to make up for the lack of original plot ideas. Every moment that’s meant to shock and awe is more of a cringe at the expense of innocent victims. You can lay out the exact plot of the film from watching the first 10 minutes. Perfect family senses trouble and it causes rifts between loved ones. There will be a climax where people die and some kind of twist. Throw in someone that tries to convince the family there’s paranormal activity which they ignore until it’s too late.
As for the potential, the whole prodigy bit falls flat off a cliff. When Miles starts to turn evil, there’s never a mention of his intelligence for the rest of the movie. He creates something to spy on his parents once and that’s the last of it. You wonder if he’s actually a prodigy or if it’s just the 40-year-old man inside his head.
I’ll be upfront with ya; I wouldn’t recommend this movie until it comes out on a streaming platform and you can watch it at home with the lights off. The jump scares are the only reason to watch this film so you might as well save your money. There’re no acting abilities or action sequences to make up for the lack of originality.
