THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE
Starring: Maika Monroe, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Raúl Castillo, Martin Starr, and Milejah Vega
Director: Michelle Garza Cervera
PAIGE
Let it be known that this remake is completely different from the original 1992 flick. I give it credit for trying to do its own thing, but 2025's The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is a very underwhelming film. It doesn’t come nearly as close to being as cringeworthy and thrilling as the OG version. This movie lacks depth and suspense, and its pacing is extremely sluggish. Maika Monroe and Mary Elizabeth Winstead are easily the best things in this streaming movie, as they are the only thing that keeps this movie somewhat afloat. Without them and their performances, there isn’t much to grasp onto here.
KATIE
I haven't seen the original The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, so I had nothing to really compare this remake to. It initially has some momentum and a good sense of tension, but it's too long and predictable. As is often the case in these types of films, the husband character is unfathomably imperceptive and unsupportive of his partner, which is necessary for the plot, but frustratingly so. Mary Elizabeth Winstead's and Maika Monroe’s performances are great, particularly Monroe, who is very unnerving and intense as the sinister nanny. However, aside from that, I found it unfortunately tedious.
ROBERT
I had a preconceived notion about The Hand That Rocks the Cradle and the ensuing conflict: I assumed Maika Monroe’s Polly was just a crazy stalker. Praise should be heaped upon director Michelle Garza Cervera and the writers for recognizing how to build out three acts to sow real discontent between Polly and Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Caitlin that is surprising. Despite that strong base, everything else around it is a rickety house of cards, with mood and tonal shifts per scene that could cause whiplash, wooden supporting characters, and nothing but idiotic decisions to drive us to the conclusion. In the end, it all falls down.
NICK
I’ve never seen the original The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, so I don’t know if it's as slow a burn as this one, but this film really takes its time to get going. Maika Monroe and Mary Elizabeth Winstead (often underused actors) give solid showings, but the story they're working with feels half-baked, and honestly, lacks teeth. Had this embraced the apparent campiness of the original more, it could have been fun, but it all just feels unnecessarily dour. In the end, this remake is a fairly forgettable film that is bound to be lost in a sea of better offerings.
