PRESENTS

What a dark, dark premise. The amount of turmoil the characters are put through is just brutal, but the performances from the two leads, especially Wunmi Mosaku, are so captivating that it kept me fully rapt even through the moments that made me want to hide behind my hands and peak through my fingers like a little kid. Also, steeping your audience in such a deeply troubling world makes the jump scares come easy. Even so this movie did not take any shortcuts. Everything was purposeful and well thought through. From the CGI to the numerous practical effects to the cinematography to the haunting soundscape. The Apeth, while his real form may be a little old hat - droopy skinned, creepy old man, body of 'eyes in hands guy' from Pan's Labyrinth - the design makes sense with the anatomy of the beast so it feels forgivable. Again, it's not a shortcut. It all makes sense. There is purpose behind every artistic decision. The writing is so natural, if not, maybe a tad bit flowery towards the end. His House gains its most terrifying moments from the horrors of the world we actually live in and seamlessly floats back and forth between the darkness of our own humankind and that of something other wordly.