A surprisingly solid urban legend quietly enters the game in Bagman (2024), seeming to have slipped through the cracks of mainstream buzz.
The movie centers on the long-standing legend of the Bagman, a Boogeyman-like figure said to have crawled out from the forgotten depths of a crumbling, long-abandoned mine. An ancient tale, like a scary bedtime story come to life, passed down in every parent's warning, urging kids to clutch a beloved keepsake to keep the Bagman at bay. Those who ignore the warning vanish into his bottomless bag, swallowed whole into an abyss where no scream escapes, no trace lingers, and no one returns.
Patrick’s Past Trauma Resurfaces as Bagman Returns
Among those forever marked by the Bagman's shadow is Patrick (Sam Claflin), now an adult. Though he was never actually taken by the Bagman, he came dangerously close while playing with his brothers near their town’s cursed mine, narrowly escaping its grasp and almost becoming another of the legend’s lost. Even long after the dust has finally settled, it’s like a recurring nightmare he just can’t quite shake.
The incident leaves Patrick carrying a heavy dose of anxiety, the kind that festers in the background, bubbling up at the worst possible moments. Fast-forward to the present, and just when life seems somewhat normal with his wife, Karina (Antonia Thomas), and their son, Jake, guess who decides to make a comeback? Yep, the Bagman. This time, he’s not just lurking, he’s closing in, threatening to unravel everything Patrick’s tried to hold together. Now his sights are set on the next generation.
Don’t expect Bagman to unleash its monster early, but it’s no sluggish snooze. Instead, it plays out like a game of hide-and-seek, drawing you in with all the classic tricks: Who’s there? What was that sound? Did the wind just knock something over… or is it really the monster? Meanwhile, the spotlight burns on Patrick and Karina and their desperate fight to protect their son, clashing with a parade of cops whose investigations are marked by a sense of annoyance rather than genuine concern, rolling their eyes more than drawing their guns.
Slow-Burn Tension Teases a Grimy Sack Reveal
The movie keeps a steady rhythm, keeping the flame burning as it nudges us closer to the boogeyman with each scene. Slow, steady, and sparking just enough to keep you leaning in, wondering what the next stage has in store.
When the Bagman finally stumbles into frame, the movie can’t help but tease us by rationing his appearances, almost like playing a spooky game of “Where’s Waldo?” It steadily builds anticipation, but just when you think you're about to get a full dose, it leaves you hanging. Talk about a cruel tease!
Before that, the tension ramps up, especially in the moments when the Bagman opens his tattered sack, releasing grimy, shadow-soaked visuals paired with an almost mechanical sound that echoes like a chainsaw revving to life. It’s one of those “Oh, this is it” moments that delivers exactly what you didn’t know you needed.
As the story flows between slower, drawn-out moments and sudden bursts of intensity, we’re definitely not just twiddling our thumbs in the quieter gaps. Still, the Bagman’s limited presence feels like a bit of a roadblock, holding the movie back from fully tapping into the potential that’s clearly within reach. It all builds to a strong finish, but with a few loose threads still dangling, a touch more closure could’ve given it that final layer of polish to really seal the deal.