THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE (DISNEY+) (2025)

SYNOPSIS: A suspenseful and seductive psychological thriller that reimagines the classic film and unravels the illusion of domestic bliss with chilling precision. In the psychological thriller from director Michelle Garza Cervera, an upscale suburban mom brings a new nanny into her home, only to discover she is not the person she claims to be.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Most Boomers and Gen Xers will remember the countless reruns of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992) on national television- that suspenseful psychological thriller about an evil nanny gone rogue. This so-called reimagining (done with very little imagination) stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Gemini Man) and Maika Monroe (Longlegs), stepping into the roles once made iconic by Annabella Sciorra and Rebecca De Mornay.

Micah Bloomberg takes over writing duties and awkwardly modernizes Amanda Silver’s original script with unconvincing plot turns and lukewarm storytelling. After a brief, predictable opening meant to tie the two leads together, the story jumps to the present day, where attorney Caitlin Morales (Winstead) meets Polly Murphy (Monroe), a recently unemployed nanny.

Soon after giving birth to her second daughter, Caitlin hires Polly as a live-in nanny. Caitlin’s husband, Miguel (Raúl Castillo), is some sort of architect or builder though judging by their luxurious Los Angeles home, the couple clearly aren’t short on cash. Naturally, Polly has an agenda of her own. Her manipulative streak soon surfaces and a little food poisoning seems to be her idea of a good start.

Compared to the 1992 version, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (2025) lacks both the tension and the menace that made the original so memorable. The film unfolds like a generic cable TV thriller- competently shot but utterly uninspired. Long, uneventful stretches drag the runtime without offering much payoff. Even Martin Starr’s Stewart, a close friend of Caitlin’s is reduced to a forgettable role compared to Solomon, the handyman from the original who provided genuine emotional weight.

For a movie set in the age of smartphones and smart homes, it’s baffling that no one installs even a single CCTV camera in this sprawling mansion. Logic clearly wasn’t on the filmmakers’ checklist. Bloomberg does, however, attempt to inject some sexual tension between Polly and Caitlin- a small twist on the original dynamic where Polly seduced the husband instead. There’s also a dinner-table scene where Caitlin’s teenage daughter Emma comes out as a lesbian though it feels shoehorned in and ultimately serves as little more than a distraction.

Despite committed performances from both Winstead and Monroe, this latest female-driven psychological thriller fails to deliver. The backstory is murky, the motive unconvincing and the finale feels like a rushed, cartoonish mess rather than a chilling climax.

A remake no one asked for and few will remember — The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (2025) is an empty crib of a movie.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee