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The Boy Behind the Door

Play trailer Poster for The Boy Behind the Door 2020 1h 28m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
97% Tomatometer 62 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
In The Boy Behind the Door, a night of unimaginable terror awaits twelve-year-old Bobby (Lonnie Chavis) and his best friend, Kevin (Ezra Dewey), when they are abducted on their way home from school. Managing to escape his confines, Bobby navigates the dark halls, praying his presence goes unnoticed as he avoids his captor at every turn. Even worse is the arrival of another stranger, whose mysterious arrangement with the kidnapper may spell certain doom for Kevin. With no means of calling for help and miles of dark country in every direction, Bobby embarks on a rescue mission, determined to get himself and Kevin out alive... or die trying.
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The Boy Behind the Door

The Boy Behind the Door

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Critics Consensus

A tense, terrifying, and all-around outstanding feature debut for its co-directing duo, The Boy Behind the Door should thrill discerning horror fans.

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Critics Reviews

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Amy Nicholson FilmWeek (LAist) Jul 31, 2021
This is the most nerve-wracking small horror film that I have seen in a very, very long time. Go to Full Review John Anderson Wall Street Journal Jul 30, 2021
It's remarkable how much dreadful mileage Messrs. Powell and Charbonier get out of Kevin and Bobby's plight, far more than if the tween boys were simply threatened with death. Go to Full Review Elisabeth Vincentelli New York Times Jul 29, 2021
The movie does not transcend its virtuosic, almost abstractly taut storytelling. Go to Full Review Jordy Sirkin Jordy Reviews It Feb 22, 2023
An exhilarating experience that subverts expectations and only adds to the suspense as it veers further. Go to Full Review Andy Lea Daily Express (UK) May 2, 2022
4/5
The premise is queasy but, if you can stomach the opening half hour, this expertly crafted chiller should pin you to your sofa. Go to Full Review Abbie Bernstein Assignment X Mar 15, 2022
B+
Chavis and Dewey both give powerful, well-nuanced performances. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Brody C @Ilikemovies227 Oct 1, 2026 Rlly mid. The acting from the kids was good and it was suspenseful, but I don’t know how it has a 97 on rotten tomatoes. Character made predictable dumb decisions, and corny lines. We are hardly given any context behind the entire movie which makes it hard to really care about what’s happening besides "oh will he survive or not" for some reason the kid had good survival instincts but 0 decision making such as just calling the police when he had the chance. See more Tiffani K @RT14108058 Aug 30, 2026 Laughably bad! My 11 year-old was able to predict every moment. This movie just pissed me off. Don't understand who they are making movies for anymore. See more alex D @safadao13 Apr 20, 2026 A wild suspenseful ride See more Sammie R. @Sirsam Feb 21, 2026 Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb See more Dave C @RT09838700 Nov 5, 2025 There are some moments of genuine tension and fear, but unfortunately the characters are all close to one-dimensional, so the feelings of terror are short-lived. Ultimately, this brings nothing that's not been played out a number of times in kidnap-horror movies with better direction and more complete characters. I'd be interested to know if the Directors' future projects yield better results, mind you See more Brooke R. @BrookiieCookiee Oct 22, 2025 Amazing, deserves far more praise than that stupid Black Phone movie See more Read all reviews
The Boy Behind the Door

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Cast & Crew

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David Charbonier

Director

Justin Powell

Director

Lonnie Chavis

Bobby

Ezra Dewey

Kevin

Kristin Bauer

Ms. Burton

Scott Michael Foster

Officer Steward

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The Boy Behind the Door

The Boy Behind the Door (2020) The Boy Behind the Door (2020) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In The Boy Behind the Door, a night of unimaginable terror awaits twelve-year-old Bobby (Lonnie Chavis) and his best friend, Kevin (Ezra Dewey), when they are abducted on their way home from school. Managing to escape his confines, Bobby navigates the dark halls, praying his presence goes unnoticed as he avoids his captor at every turn. Even worse is the arrival of another stranger, whose mysterious arrangement with the kidnapper may spell certain doom for Kevin. With no means of calling for help and miles of dark country in every direction, Bobby embarks on a rescue mission, determined to get himself and Kevin out alive... or die trying.
Director
David Charbonier, Justin Powell
Producer
Ryan Lewis, John Hermann, Jim Hart, Ryan Scaringe, Rick Rosenthal
Screenwriter
David Charbonier, Justin Powell
Production Co
Whitewater Films, Kinogo Pictures
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 29, 2021
Runtime
1h 28m
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