The "Supernatural as Trauma" vibe
If your teen is chasing that specific brand of moody, supernatural isolation found in early 2010s YA, Hideaways might look like a hidden gem on paper. It plays with the "dangerous boy in the woods" trope but swaps the sparkly romance for something much grimmer. The core hook—a family where the eldest son inherits a unique, often destructive power—is essentially a dark riff on the X-Men gene.
The problem is that while a big-budget movie would turn this into a training montage or a hero's journey, Hideaways treats it as a slow-burn tragedy. The incident where James accidentally causes the deaths of his father and grandmother isn't just a plot point; it's the entire weight of the film. If your kid is looking for powers used for "good" or even cool visual effects, they’re going to be disappointed. This is a movie about the burden of being a freak, not the thrill of it.
Why the scores are so low
The 48% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and the 3.1 on Letterboxd tell a very specific story: this movie suffers from a massive identity crisis. It’s too slow for the fantasy crowd and a bit too "indie-weird" for the casual Friday night viewer.
The pacing is the primary friction point. It lingers in the forest with James and Mae for long stretches where very little happens. For a modern audience used to the rapid-fire storytelling of streaming hits, the "brooding in silence" scenes will feel less like atmosphere and more like filler. It’s the kind of film that thinks a long shot of trees is doing more emotional heavy lifting than it actually is.
Better alternatives for the "Cursed" itch
If your teen is actually interested in the themes here—isolation, dangerous gifts, and family secrets—there are better ways to spend two hours.
- For the "Isolation" vibe: Leave No Trace isn't supernatural, but it handles the "hiding in the forest" dynamic with way more heart and better acting.
- For the "Dark Power" vibe: Chronicle is the gold standard for showing how a supernatural gift can absolutely wreck a teenager's life, and it’s significantly more engaging.
- For the "Indie Supernatural" vibe: Midnight Special covers similar ground regarding a child with dangerous abilities on the run, but it actually sticks the landing.
Unless your teen is a completist for 2010s-era European indie cinema, this is a "background noise" movie at best. The premise is haunting, but the execution is mostly just tired.
