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

| Mar 28, 2022

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

| Mar 24, 2022

Many of Shim’s choices end up offering a decidedly uncomplimentary depiction of the nexus of Asian and Asian-American culture.

| Original Score: C | Mar 19, 2022

Despite its flaws, Umma is an impressive debut for Shim, the kind of outing that hints at plenty more under the hood or tucked inside a massive suitcase, just bursting with secrets.

| Original Score: C+ | Mar 18, 2022

An occasionally interesting but ultimately unsuccessful debut feature from writerdirector Iris K. Shin.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Mar 18, 2022

Shim's heavy focus on conventional horror clichés and a lack of tension means that the most exciting ideas get underdeveloped to a detriment.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Mar 18, 2022

“Umma” shows that horror remains an effective space to engage with heftier topics.

| Mar 18, 2022

Writer-director Shin’s labored attempts to use genre tropes to explore the complexities of domineering mother-daughter relationships never fully develops.

| Mar 18, 2022

Shim handles the film’s grab bag of individual jump scares and creepy sight gags well, but without conveying much tangible sense of overall peril or threat, these scenes start to feel almost academic.

| Mar 18, 2022

Ohs face will transform into her mothers when berating her daughter; this is too obvious a metaphor, and the CGI is too haphazard. One of the best actors with one of the most expressive faces stars in this film let her go off the rails, already.

| Mar 18, 2022