#REVIEW: “THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE”

By Mr. Will Wong

1992 Domestic Thriller THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE not only went on to become a very popular film, it was one of the time’s most profitable movies. Michelle Garza Cervera brings this haunting story to today’s audience, updating points of relevance while still maintaining some of the original’s magnetic creepiness.

We love a good tale of obsession, specifically ones about intruders. Something about the everyday person overcoming a threat to protect what matters most to them at all costs – the more over-the-top the better – is so gratifying to watch. In this remake, we meet Caitlyn (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a mother of two young girls and her husband Miguel (Raoul Castillo).  They hire a nanny named Polly (Maika Monroe) to help and things start well – the kids take to her, but bit by bit, the seams begin to unthread.  Caitlyn is adamant that her children not be fed sugar nor baby formula – and Polly goes for it. Polly brings over a guest to the home to stay, which reveals more her true self.  Matters escalate before Caitlyn feels threatened in her standing as the mother and wife of the household and her beautiful home and family collapse. But what are Polly‘s motives for all of this? We realize these two women might have a stronger connection than initially thought.

Let’s be frank, we watch movies like this knowing already that they are a bit ridiculous.  We want to be creeped-out, we want to go through the emotions, we want to scream at the characters for making bad choices.  This rendition of the Film – with many nods to the original reimagined – will make you feel these things, but several other similar stories have been told since the 1992 original. Even with some more inclusions like the husband and wife being interracial, and a deeper same-sex themes, the tropes by now though, feel almost too familiar. On their own Winstead and Monroe both are great, but we didn’t feel the same intensity and obsession Annabella Sciorra and Rebecca De Mornay had in the original. This is a psychological Thriller that never goes deep enough into these women’s psyches. Make no mistake though, there are some gory moments here as well which pay homage to the predecessor.

Still worth a watch to be entertained for 100 minutes, as they make it easy enough to access, arriving October 22, 2025 on Disney+ in Canada.