I would categorize this as an interesting failure. Jacob Kogan plays the title character, the first child of Brad and Abbie Cairn (Sam Rockwell and Vera Farmiga). After his baby sister is born, Joshua becomes morbid, and more than a little creepy. I love the whole evil child angle, and the fact that there is no supernatural reason for Joshua's behavior makes it even more horrifying. Unfortunately, Ratliff and co-writer David Gilbert haven't written a good enough script to support their idea. While there is no supernatural reason given for Joshua, the kid is so odd and seemingly beyond his own years that I think some viewers will end up supplying their own. I never really bought the character. He ends up almost paper-thin, like there's nothing behind his wickedly blank face. I wouldn't say that Jacob Kogan gives a good performance here, but he certainly has the look of utter wickedness about him. There are other fatal flaws, as well. Sam Rockwell is a little too broad, and comes off as almost comedic. This is especially true in the final half-hour, after Rockwell's character has begun to expect his son of being malicious. I shouldn't be giggling at the whole concept this is where some true horror should arise. But Rockwell's reaction to his son's evil is almost comical, and I'm not entirely sure it's unintentional. Particlarly awful is the scene where Rockwell hires a child psychologist to examine Joshua. That whole bit was patently ridiculous: the woman deduces after approximately twelve seconds (she looks at one drawing) that Joshua is being abused. And she tells Rockwell instantly! You'd think if she really thought he was abusing his son, she'd play it more subtly and, you know, call child services or something. That scene is pretty unforgivable. There are, on the other hand, several very good sequences. I especially liked the bit where Joshua gets his mother to step on some broken glass. And that scene where the kid mocks his father for mourning their dead dog which Joshua killed, of course is chilling.
