Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Horror tale has strong performances, jump scares, ghosts.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Umma
What's the Story?
In UMMA, Amanda (Sandra Oh) and her 16-year-old daughter, Chrissy (Fivel Stewart), live a remote, happy life, raising bees and selling honey on their farm. They must avoid electricity, which makes Amanda sick, so their existence is quiet and organic. Their only contact with the outside world is Danny (Dermot Mulroney), who sells the honey and delivers supplies. One day Amanda's uncle arrives from Korea with the news that her mother has died. He leaves a suitcase containing the mother's ashes and some of her things. Amanda starts seeing ghosts and hearing her mother's voice, threatening her that they'll always be together. As Chrissy begins to entertain thoughts of going away to college, the ghost becomes more malevolent. To stop it, Amanda must face the secrets of her terrible past.
Is It Any Good?
Even if it gets a little pedestrian and makes one or two rookie mistakes, this chiller offers some good scary moments, touching performances, and memorable representation of Korean culture. The feature directing debut of Iris K. Shim, Umma -- which is Korean for "mother" -- has some confusing timeline issues related to the backstory revolving around who moved where, when. And the appearance of a kumiho (a many-tailed fox) relies on cheap-looking CGI. Some of the scares are routine, and some of the beats are a bit too familiar, especially in the final third. But there's enough left to make the movie worth a look.
Oh gives a very strong performance, carrying fear and anxiety in her face in a way that makes it feel deeply nestled, part of her daily routine. Even as Amanda starts to go off the rails, her performance is organic. And Stewart matches her; they have great mother-daughter chemistry. Mulroney adds calm support to the picture, and Odeya Rush -- as Danny's niece, River -- has a couple of good scenes with Chrissy and some funny line readings. Additionally, the scares in the early parts of the movie are eerily effective, especially one that wakes Amanda during a lightning storm. And the depictions of Korean life and rituals feel honest and authentic. Considering all of this, Umma is a-parent-ly worth a look.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Umma's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies? Why do people sometimes like being scared?
How are the characters' relationships similar to or different from your own?
Do you think you could handle living without electricity? What would be the upside? What things would you miss most?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 18, 2022
- On DVD or streaming : May 24, 2022
- Cast : Sandra Oh , Fivel Stewart , Dermot Mulroney
- Director : Iris K. Shim
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Asian Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Sony Pictures Releasing
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Fantasy
- Run time : 83 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : terror, brief strong language and some thematic elements
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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