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Hmmm…
I’ve learned a thing or two from watching
horror films over the years. The most important
being not to take road trips that will force
you to take side roads where you will invariably
break down and have to stay at a broken
down motel, house or rest stop that you
would normally not set foot in if you had
any ounce of brain sloshing around inside
your head. I was reminded if this important
lesson yet again while watching Lionsgate’s
new DVD release, “House.”
“House” (not to be mistaken
with the 1986 “House” starring
William Katt) is similar to the recent “Vacancy”
where we have a couple (Reynaldo Rosales
and Heidi Dippold) driving around only to
find themselves having to stay at an old
inn. But that’s where the similarity
ends. This couple ends up meeting another
couple (Julie Ann Emery and J.P. Davis)
and instead of being terrorized by the inn’s
owners are terrorized by a killer known
as Tin Man.
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Tin Man shows up and talks big about how he killed
God (an unbelievable for which I would have asked
for some proof… right before he killed me
for being a smart ass…) and proclaims that
he wants another body before dawn. (Hmmmm…
makes me think of Bruce Campbell… Dead by
dawn, Dead by dawn…) As the four prisoners
search for a way to stop Tin Man, they learn that
the inn isn’t what it seems as visions of
their past sins begin to pop up.
I understand that “House” was adapted
for the screen by Ted Dekker and Frank E. Perretti
from their own novel, which makes me want to go
back and read the book. Not necessarily because
I liked the movie so much, which I didn’t,
but so I would better understand what was going
on. As far as plots go, the film was kind of all
over the place. Part psycho killer, part psychological
thriller, part ghostly visions and (oddly enough)
part Christian message. (Yes you read that right…)
For the most part “House” held my
attention with its overall look, which was rather
foreboding. But I started having problems early
on in the film when the main characters turned
out to be so unlikable. I have an issue with characters
who are on the run from a killer are unlikable.
I simply don’t care if they get ‘offed.’
Not that I like to see good people die, but I
do like to see good people get away. I get tired
of the cliché of the good guy winning,
only to get killed in the last frame of the movie…
it’s so unoriginal. But with the characters
in “House”, they are so reprehensible
that there’s no payoff if they live or die.
Then there’s the casting of Michael Madsen
and Bill Mosely. I have no problem that they are
in the movie (I enjoy both actors), only that
they get top billing and have very little screen
time. It seems like a bit of a cheat, but I’ve
seen it over and over again using name actors
to get an audience’s attention than using
them for only as long as the budget allows.
With all that said, I’m not telling you
not to see “House.” It’s still
a fairly decent horror flick, but be warned that
director Robby “No, Not Benson” Henson
delivers a film that is a little convoluted and
at times hard to follow. Lionsgate’s DVD
offers no special features.
Directed by: Robby Henson
Starring: Michael Madsen, Reynaldo Rosales, Julie
Ann Emery, Heidi Dippold, Bill Moseley
Extras: None
Specifications: Widescreen
Studio: LionsGate
Release Date: 4/7/2009
Region 1
MPAA Rating: R
http://www.lionsgatedvd.com
http://www.housethemovie.net
We'll give House a C.
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