“The Bye Bye Man” does not measure up to the goosebumps on your arms from seeing the trailer. Instead, after seeing the film, it makes us wonder whether or not, was the price for popcorn and admission ticket worth it? For an hour and thirty-five minutes the movie offers a decent story, acceptable acting and some suspenseful and jumpy moments.

The film, directed by Stacy Title, hit the big screen mid January. The film starts off twisted; all you know is “don’t say it, don’t think it,” and fast-forward to three college students on a journey checking out a house to rent.

Once settled in their new home, they come across a name they shouldn’t have uttered and they’re all in danger. The group begins to see, hear and feel things that don’t exist. They face an evil that manifests itself as a man wearing a dark cloak and a bloody skinless beast.

The Bye Bye Man is like the known horror film character Freddy Kruger without the humor, Candy Man without the background story and “Lights Out” without the genuine creepiness that causes the hair on your neck to stand. The film could have given more background information to the Bye Bye Man, as well as offered what causes this evil to be so sinister. The college students are regular students, but the film brushes over any chance for any character growth or depth.

If you are looking for a break from reality, don’t want to expect a lot of substance and aren’t a horror/thriller movie goer, this movie may be just for you. Surely, you’ll have a couple of scares, but don’t go in looking for something that won’t be there. You’ll leave saying, “Don’t think it, don’t say it.”