When new stepmom Ekland settles in with Marcus and his father, she can't help but feel a deadly vibe.

Does her icy little hellion of a stepson have something sinister in store for her?

Equally important: what fate did Marcus' real mother meet?

An unfocused mood sabotages this well meaning thriller, which meanders much too frequently to mount much steam.

Still, Lester and especially Ekland are in fine form and somehow manage to keep the sleepy atmosphere afloat.

Some paranoia-tinged sequences with Ekland near the end intrigue mildly, but the confusing (if nicely harsh) climax does little to help matters overall.

Also known as Night Child.