Umma is a tale of past generational trauma that is unfortunately bogged down by half-baked set pieces and horror clichés.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | Mar 24, 2024

Though it has an intriguing premise, Umma leaves little to be desired, with a lukewarm script and ineffective jump scares.

| Oct 20, 2022

While it’s hardly an exemplar of the genre, one hopes its lukewarm reception doesn’t prevent similar projects from being made in the future.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jul 24, 2022

Delivers atmosphere, tension, whirling camerawork and jump scares aplenty.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 23, 2022

Umma isn’t necessarily the most original genre movie to be released this year, but I just enjoyed how earnestly the story approaches all the genre elements and the relationships of these characters.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 13, 2022

Too bad the provocative theme of childhood abuse is not more fully explored. Instead, writer/director Iris K. Shin relies on creepy, haunted-house psychological terror and silly, predictable jump scares.

| Original Score: 4/10 | Jun 3, 2022

Umma is a horror movie that seems to fight against the very idea of being one.

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | May 24, 2022

... while this isn’t a splattery movie, I really appreciated the subtle effects that demonstrated Umma’s presence, and found the final confrontation to be pretty terrifying.

| May 21, 2022

Umma is a break from the usual loud jump scares and screaming terrors. A refreshingly humanist take on supernatural horror film tropes.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 12, 2022

A disappointing psychological horror pic.

| Original Score: C+ | Apr 7, 2022

Umma is the kind of movie that makes you want to call your therapist. It reminds us that life is messy, but fine, and has a greater meaning that often eludes us.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Apr 1, 2022

But through thick or thin, or whether Amanda is sane or slipping, Umma stays on track because of Oh.

| Mar 31, 2022

All Umma gives Oh to do is play out--and out of tune, to boot--this tired old "if it's not one thing, it's your mother" rag.

| Original Score: 1/4 | Mar 31, 2022

Umma’s curse is an imperfect blend of talent that may shine occasionally but mostly trips over itself.

| Mar 28, 2022

Although it doesn't fully work, I can't entirely dismiss Umma. I appreciated the good factors to the same degree that I was disappointed by the weak spots.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Mar 26, 2022

There are so many interesting components of Umma that never click, wasting a completely original idea on banality.

| Mar 24, 2022

Although Umma opens as a film that's easy to root for -- due to its complex story and unique imagery -- it relies too much on haunted house tropes.

| Mar 24, 2022

When critics of arthouse horror bemoan the growing trend, Umma represents the kind of aimless, substance-free experience they are referencing.

| Mar 22, 2022

Bolstered by a strong lead performance from the dependably engrossing Sandra Oh, this familiar through line, though culturally specific, relies too heavily upon genre cliches to feel innovative.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Mar 21, 2022

Throughout its slim but slow 83 minutes, Umma piles up missed-opportunity scenes that cry out for a ghoulish sense of humor or an audience-rattling jump.

| Mar 21, 2022