Hulu’s Reimagining of “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” Is A Forgettable Mixed Bag

The Hulu Original “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” is a psychological thriller that reimagines the 1992 film of the same name and unravels the illusion of domestic bliss with chilling precision.

In this psychological thriller, an upscale suburban mom brings a new nanny into her home, only to discover she isn’t the person she claims to be.

Some people may or may not remember the 1992 thriller “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle,” which I recently checked out while it was briefly on Hulu. The 1992 original really delivered the suspense and thrills (and a few kind of campy moments) and the nanny character was really unhinged. Now, while this reimagining does have a few moments of tension, it’s definitely a weaker version of the 1992 movie.

This 2025 reimagining is more of a slow psychological burn, focusing more on mental states of the lead characters and the trauma they endured at some point in their lives rather than just typical scares, which does work during some moments. Throughout the movie, we get hints of how the lead characters (Caitlin and Polly) had very traumatic events happen years earlier.

Their trauma is eventually revealed at the end (which I won’t spoil) and it does make a justified attempt to tie their story together. With how the movie eventually reveals their trauma, it actually feels a little flat and if the movie explored their trauma in a more deeply impactful way, this traumatic reveal could’ve landed differently.

The remake does have a slower pace, which is supposed to build tension - yet the tension can sometimes fall flat as well due to the much slower pace. Also, if the movie revealed why the nanny is doing what she can to terrorize the family (mainly the mother) earlier in the movie, it could’ve easily built the tension even more.

There really isn’t anything in this 2025 remake/reimagining that’s really memorable or really sticks out. After the reveal of the mother and nanny’s shared trauma, there is a

tense confrontation that can actually get entertaining - which eventually culminates to a rushed, abrupt end.

So, overall, the 2025 version of “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” is a forgettable mixed bag. While its modern take of suburban anxieties can be all right, the movie’s overall plot is slightly convoluted, the tone is all over the place during some moments and a couple of the performances aren’t really the best.

MPA: Rated R for some strong/bloody violence, sexual content and language   (runtime 105 minutes)

You can currently stream the 2025 version of “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” on Hulu.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0SFXzNMthc

• The remake pays homage to the original by using similar character names: Claire becomes Caitlyn, Payton becomes Polly, Michael becomes Miguel and Baby Joe becomes Josie. (Emma's name remains unchanged.)

• A re-imagining of the 1992 thriller The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, which starred Rebecca De Mornay.