The house is dark and silent until loud noises awaken Liza, played by Katie Holmes, who, believing her son is downstairs, wanders through the dark to investigate. She soon discovers that the noises were not made by her son as she is attacked and almost murdered by home invaders. Her son, Jude, witnesses the scene and proceeds to take a vow of silence. The family decides it is time to move to a place where he will feel safe: Heelshire Mansion.

Once Jude, played by Christopher Convery, finds Brahms buried in the woods by the mansion, the focus shifts to the relationship between the boy and his doll. This sequel to “The Boy,” which was released in 2016, revolves around the doll’s progression through another family as well as the backstory and history of Brahms. 

“The Boy” was a more realistic psychological horror movie as the doll was unable to speak and move on its own. Yet, in “Brahms: The Boy II,” the horror becomes more supernatural and takes giant strides away from the real world. 

Brahms begins to terrorize the family for not following strict rules, doing impossible feats while parents Liza and Sean, who is played by Owain Yeoman, continue to believe their son is simply trying to live after trauma. 

The movie is slow, focusing far too much on the home burglary and the process of discovering the doll’s past. While there were clear moments of suspense and a handful of jumpscares, there lacked a clear and concise plot like in the previous movie. 

Like almost all horror movies, there are of course cliches: walking around the house in the dark; parents not listening to their kid; descents into dark basements, and many other classics we all know and not always love. Yet, director William Brent Bell did an excellent job at developing the mom Liza’s character and her growing unease of the doll. Plus, Christopher Convery was very well casted, both looking and playing the part of the new owner of Brahms perfectly. 

Great suspense had been built, but after the long and exhaustive backstory, the much anticipated ending fell far short of expectations. Horror tends to lose the scariness when it becomes unrealistic, and that is exactly how this movie concluded. 

I would recommend seeing this if you are itching to watch a horror movie. Though if you really enjoyed the first movie, maybe leave it there. The original had an excellent twist, with a concise plot and suspense throughout. While the sequel was well casted with a great set and fitting costumes, the lengthy, awkward rising action and cheesy, demonic doll ruined it.