While not a perfect movie, the film shines with a fine cast, witty dialogue, and intriguing visual/special effects. I wish the ending turned out to be more satisfying – but getting there is a fun ride. Plus, I do enjoy being surprised while watching a horror movie. Don’t you?  

Supporting actors contribute their own comic turns, especially the great Sally Field (Hello, My Name Is Doris) as a bureaucratic, sickly-sweet social worker and the always watchable Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption) as a questionable man of the cloth.        

Chemistry between Scott (Krampus) and Evangeline Lilly (Real Steel), who plays the new wife and mother of “little evil” Lucas, comes across as quite amusing. And we actually believe Scott’s panic about his relationship with his tiny stepson (Owen Atlas/Astronaut Camp), mostly because he desperately wants to please his beautiful, sweet wife.

Like this very worried stepdad, I was frightened by the creepy youngster’s terrifying looks and behavior throughout most of the film.   

Can Evil come as something small?

Or does it have to be real tall?

LITTLE EVIL concerns this theme,

exploring it to fun extreme.

A five-year-old can’t be so bad.

Why can’t he have a good stepdad?

Our hero tries his very best.

Yet always seems to fail the test.

Something more, this youngster must be.

Watch over him and then you’ll see

how important your stepchild is

and why you are now really his.

It is not flesh and blood but the heart which make us fathers and sons. --- Johann Schiller

A Step Father means many things…an understanding heart, a sense of strength and of support, right from the very start. --- Anonymous

FULL DISCLOSURE:  I was once an evil stepchild.  But that’s another story entirely. Watch this space.

(Released by Netflix and rated TV-MA.)