Su casa

Different and memorable. Not predictable, left me wondering in what order it was written.

There are so many terrible films, particularly in the horror genre, on Netflix at the moment. This is not one of them. All the horrors I've watched recently are either far too dumb, or too far the other way - relying on being artsy or having powerful imagery but sacrificing a satisfying story. This one gets it just right. It is genuinely intriguing but leaves you with a resolution. There are layers of interpretation, but also a nice clear cut story.

I found for a good part of the film I thought it was just a theme of asylum seeking; a couple fleeing something bad and arriving at a not-beautiful side of Britain, with the man trying to adjust to a new culture and then woman conversely holding onto her roots, all through the narrative of an apparently haunted house. The pair being explicitly warned that they might be sent "back" if they made any trouble, or didn't integrate properly, emphasised this theme. But it turned out to be about something quite different - something I can't really say without giving away the plot substantially. It could have been based on anyone with a past, and the fact that the main characters were refugees worked well for the narrative but was not the entire theme.

It was well cast and very well acted, which is not actually all that typical in many films being streamed at the moment. Matt Smith is in it but as a side character: they don't try to force him into it beyond his welcome just to exploit the well known name; also refreshing. He is good in his part, but the two leads are allowed to shine.

I'm not much of an artistic critic but I felt they built and maintained the atmosphere brilliantly. I can't even tell you if it was visuals or score or lighting or whatever because I'm not the type of audience to dissect that - I just know it gripped me and took me with it emotionally. The tension is good and there were jump scares that work well. Personally I can't stand a film that's just reliant on jumpy moments or gore and lacks any actual substance. This, to me, gives the best of all worlds. And when it ended I felt genuinely glad I'd watched it, and watched it to the end.

Honestly this little film buried far below the (poorer quality) netflix recommendations was a very positive surprise for me and I would definitely recommend watching.

Going in I thought I'd know what this film was about, I mean a film in 2020 about two black refugees going through the immigration system in Britain how can it be anything but what I'm expecting it to be? But I was wrong, and I am so glad I was.

Another reviewer said that this is "woke" and a commentary on immigration, it isn't, not at all. This is not a film about race or the differences in race or the difficulties of adjusting to living in a new country, it's not trying to say anything about the immigration system it's just telling a story that happens to involve new immigrants to a country, saying this is a commentary on immigration is like saying Jaws is a commentary on water safety or Die Hard 2 is a commentary on airport security.

This film is a supernatural horror about the desperate things that people will do to survive and the consequences of those actions, and it's one of the most entertaining horrors I've seen for a while with some genuinely unsettling scenes, I can only hope people don't dismiss it because of a few ignorant reviewers who see imaginary agendas whenever there are black characters leading a film.

8/10

Hail to director Remi Weekes for a very different approach to horror!

I fell in love with the main characters from the very beginning, and sympathized with them. The performances by Sope Dirisu and Wunmi Mosaku are incredible, especially Wunmi, who - in my opinion - delivered an Oscar winning performance. She was stunning!

I found 'His House' so captivating that I was glued to the screen. The director effectively created suspense with background imagery and shadows - without the use of blaring scare music. This made it more realistic, and a hell of a lot scarier. Some scenes were truly creepy! The use of close-up photography and wide and long shots were also highly effective. 'His House' might come across as another haunted house film, but this was very different, with bucket loads of emotion - enhanced by Wunmi's fabulous performance!

Eventually, the film offered more than I expected. It was a heart wrenching depiction of a couple who lost a child - but not entirely in the sense you'd expect. It was disturbing on so many levels.

'His House' might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is brilliant film making. The film received 37 award nominations, winning 8 - including Outstanding Debut by a British Writer Director or Producer, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Production Design, Best Effects, Best Film.

Would I watch it again? Probably, yes.

Exploring themes of grief, trauma, immigration, assimilation, remorse & acceptance through a horror lens, His House is a haunting & harrowing depiction of the refugee experience and, in addition to capturing their inward & outward struggle in adjusting to new life in new place, also delivers as a thrilling & effective haunted house chiller.

Written & directed by Remi Weekes, the film blends character drama & genre thrills into one finely layered narrative and holds nothing back when unleashing the terror that dwells within the walls of their new home. While there are times when the story becomes perplexing, everything adds up & makes sense once the full picture of the characters' backstory is revealed.

The atmosphere within the rundown residence is palpably tense & often unsettling, and though Weekes relies on jump scares to frighten the viewers, most of them do work out in the film's favour. Wunmi Mosaku & Sope Dirisu play the young refugee couple seeking asylum after escaping their war-torn homeland, and they both chip in with performances that are credible, grounded & convincing.

Overall, His House is a welcome entry in the world of horror and also marks a solid debut for Remi Weekes' directorial career. The proper care with which he sketches the characters' troubled past, vulnerable present & uncertain future, and brings it in sync with the immigrant issues gives his picture a relevant touch & relatable appeal. One of the better horror entries in Netflix canon, His House is certainly worth a shot.