Mama(2013)
2013 · Andy Muschietti · 100 min
Guillermo del Toro presents Mama, a supernatural thriller that tells the haunting tale of two little girls who disappeared into the woods the day that their parents were killed. When they are rescued years later and begin a new life, they find that someone or something still wants to come tuck them in at night.
Horror
6.34.5k votes
TMDB score
3/5
Intensity
1/5
Gore
3/5
Stays with you
How Mama scares
Mama builds its scares around a ghostly, protective figure whose presence is felt through shadows, creaking sounds, and unsettling glimpses before it fully shows itself. The movie mixes slow, eerie atmosphere with well-placed jolts, so it doesn't rely purely on jump scares but doesn't ask for patience the whole way either. There's real sadness woven into the horror, since the story leans on themes of loss and motherly love, which makes some scenes feel more emotional than purely frightening. It's a good pick for people who like a haunted house movie with a bit of heart and dread mixed in, rather than pure shock or gore.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, Mama rates psychological 4/5, visceral 2/5, gore 1/5, lingering effect 3/5, and overall intensity 3/5.
- Psychological: 4 of 5
- Visceral: 2 of 5
- Gore: 1 of 5
- Lingering: 3 of 5
- Intensity: 3 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 55 of 100 — balanced
Supernatural vs Real-world: 10 of 100 — leans Supernatural
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 50 of 100 — balanced
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
A slow, creeping build with periodic jolts that gradually escalates into a heavier, more intense final stretch.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 2, 2, 3, 2, 3, 3, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4.
How scary is Mama?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, Mama rates 3/5 — solidly scary, balancing creeping dread with well-placed shocks. The fear is mostly in your head — it unsettles far more than it assaults. Expect it to be restrained with gore and scary but not punishing. Some of it will follow you to bed, but it lets go within a day or so.
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