“The Moogai” doesn’t work as a horror movie and is only somewhat effective as a piece of metaphorical political storytelling.

| Original Score: 4/10 | May 13, 2025

“The Moogai” is probably better than most critics believe because we do not understand everything that we are seeing. As a first-time feature filmmaker, Bell’s first time at bat is a success, and people should stay glued to see how his work will evolve.

| May 12, 2025

With “The Moogai,” Bell wrestles with the horrors of the past and acknowledges the history of the Aboriginal children who never had a chance at a future.

| Original Score: 3/4 | May 9, 2025

A tale of motherhood, generational bravery, and the slow healing of long-held wounds elevates this slightly unfocused Australian horror film.

| Original Score: 6/10 | May 8, 2025

There is regretfully little to differentiate The Moogai from any other generic frightfest. Nonetheless, it is a competently made feature-length debut and a clear labour of love, with some memorably eerie imagery to boot.

| Original Score: 3/5 | May 6, 2025

Tapping into Indigenous lore and an ensemble of well beloved talent carry a considered lens. At times, it felt as though, the potential to dig deeper was simplified for a broader understanding.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Nov 27, 2024

Delivers a compelling setup and shines as an Indigenous horror story. Strong performances anchor the film, but its unrealised potential leaves lingering “why” questions.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Nov 27, 2024

It all builds to a satisfying, if wholly predictable, ending, but it at least offers a little more resonance – and bite – than last year’s more high-profile, Down Under psychological horror Run Rabbit Run.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 17, 2024

The monster itself is quite an accomplishment, but the boom in horror movie-making has made us pretty blasé about the grotesque creations the genre can conjure up. Unfortunately, this well-intentioned film isn’t as scary as it’s trying to be.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 30, 2024

The horror works on multiple levels, with the scariest moments informed by the lived experience of Aboriginal people.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 30, 2024

This film, with its strong Indigenous themes, is a solid addition to the recent burst of well-received independent Australian horror movies.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Oct 26, 2024

Jon Bell's First Nations suspense drama is disquieting at times, but not scary enough, despite its top cast.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 24, 2024

… while The Moogai gets a lot right, it misses the mark when it comes to delivering on its creepy, supernatural premise.

| Original Score: 12/20 | Oct 11, 2024

The Moogai has many strengths, but it is if those strengths are enough to call it an effective supernatural horror movie. The Moogai keeps its true scares in the real world and conceivably they are chilling enough.

| Original Score: C+ | Oct 8, 2024

The closer director Jon Bell draws to the climax the more he loses his grip, too intent on making a statement than delivering scares or any real sense of threat. As a horror film it is just far too well-behaved, never losing its head like it should.

| Original Score: 1.5/5 | Aug 22, 2024

Rather than externalising the threat to First Nations kids posed by white people since invasion, the Moogai is ... a distillation of that same poisonous evil ... A colonising force of destruction so hideous it has torn a hole in the natural order.

| Jun 11, 2024

Not everyone has understood exactly why this is such a brave, confident movie, but everyone needs to know that – despite this – Jon Bell is exactly the kind of filmmaker Australia is lucky to have right now, and desperately needs.

| Jun 10, 2024

THE MOOGAI is about the ghosts of the past, a reckoning with that past, and the pain it caused generations of Aboriginal people. It is an emotionally captivating and culturally relevant horror film with powerhouse performances.

| Apr 24, 2024

It never lives up to the promises of its opening sequence, and a lack of commitment to its horror leaves 'The Moogai' without much to latch on to.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Mar 13, 2024

The Moogai is a frustrating watch, because there’s definitely a story worth telling here, but it’s handled with the grace of a bulldozer.

| Mar 12, 2024