Genre: Supernatural Horror | Thriller | Mystery
Director: Jennifer Kent
Starring: Florence Pugh, Jacob Tremblay, Vera Farmiga, and Michael C. Hall
"The Haunted Nursery" (2025) delivers a chilling blend of classic haunted house horror and psychological drama, helmed masterfully by director Jennifer Kent (The Babadook). With an unsettling atmosphere, strong performances, and a story steeped in grief, guilt, and the supernatural, the film reinvents the trope of haunted children with haunting precision.
After suffering a traumatic stillbirth, pediatric nurse Eleanor Blake (Florence Pugh) relocates to a remote countryside manor to recover and take care of her orphaned nephew, Leo (Jacob Tremblay). The house—an ancestral estate passed down from her estranged family—holds more than just old memories. In one locked room: a forgotten nursery, filled with dusty toys, cobwebbed lullabies, and something waiting in the dark.
When Leo begins talking to unseen "playmates," and nursery rhymes echo through the walls late at night, Eleanor begins unraveling the sinister past of the house—and her own bloodline. As the hauntings intensify, she must confront the ghost of a child no one remembers, and a maternal spirit consumed by rage.
Florence Pugh once again proves she's one of the finest horror actresses of her generation. Her portrayal of Eleanor is heartbreaking and unnerving—a woman balancing love, trauma, and slow-burning fear. Jacob Tremblay brings a terrifying innocence to his role, shifting effortlessly between vulnerable and eerily possessed.
Vera Farmiga appears in a spine-tingling supporting role as a grief counselor with hidden knowledge about the house’s past, and Michael C. Hall plays the suspicious local priest, whose warnings come too late.
Jennifer Kent’s direction is deliberate, atmospheric, and deeply psychological. The film doesn't rely on cheap jump scares—instead, it builds tension through silence, subtle movements, and terrifying childlike imagery. The nursery itself becomes a character: a twisted shrine of porcelain dolls, creaking mobiles, and lullabies that turn into whispers.
Cinematographer Ari Wegner paints the house in a cold, pale palette, making even daylight scenes feel ghostly. The sound design is another highlight—every creak, rattle, and distant lullaby is placed with precision.
The Haunted Nursery explores motherhood, loss, generational trauma, and the fear of the unknown within the domestic sphere. It raises chilling questions: What does it mean to be a mother? Can grief manifest as a haunting? And what happens when we forget the children we were supposed to love?
It also critiques the stigma around postnatal depression and the isolation of maternal guilt in a way that is as emotionally resonant as it is terrifying.
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Emotionally complex performances
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Terrifying yet subtle supernatural elements
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Evocative and gothic production design
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Psychological depth alongside classic horror beats
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The slow pace may frustrate viewers expecting more traditional horror shocks
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Some plot elements remain intentionally ambiguous, which may divide audiences
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The third act, while powerful, leans more on emotional resolution than climactic spectacle
The Haunted Nursery is not just a ghost story—it’s a meditation on grief and motherhood wrapped in supernatural horror. With stunning performances and haunting direction, it will linger with audiences long after the credits roll. It’s both terrifying and touching, offering a unique entry into the haunted house subgenre.
