La novena casa

There is a certain concept that I love seeing within movies, when a group of people wake up in unfamiliar territory and have to participate in some dangerous activity such as a game.

Obviously the SAW franchise comes under this category, the Cube movies and the brilliant Circle (2015) and The Human Race (2013).

This is one of those and I was immediatly thrilled upon realising. I just love the idea I find it fascinating, how people react, the different personalities and the ruthlessness of people.

House of 9 see's a group of people locked inside a house together unable to escape. Upon awaking the instructions are announced, only one can leave and they'll win five million pounds.

Inevitably it doesn't take long before things to fall apart and the way it happens sadly could be better, but is still entertaining.

This British made thriller stars Kelly Brook, Dennis Hopper and the last Doctor Who Peter Capaldi.

Despite it's flaws I enjoyed this and was very impressed with the movies closing scene. Though it doesn't match the dizzying heights of the other examples of this concept it's still a passable movie.

The Good:

Great idea

Fantastic finale

The Bad:

Questionable execution

Hoppers accent is horrific

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Guns in movies are magic and have unlimited ammo

Kelly Brook can act without showing boobage

Whoever this Will Hoge guy is, he needs to go back to delivering pizzas. This is a mashup of STP, Creed and all those other horrible styles. I had to skip about 7 minutes in the middle of the movie because my ears started bleeding.

A group of people -- nine to be exact -- are trapped in a house. They are given instructions over an intercom, basically telling them that the last one who lives will receive five million dollars. From there on out, the house gets dangerous: will we see the best or the worst of human nature?

One could describe this movie as "Saw 2" meets "House on Haunted Hill", though that wouldn't really do this film justice. Others have compared it to "Battle Royale". Simply put, while the themes may overlap, this film is still unique in many ways. Which isn't always easy after a century of plots being used up.

Dennis Hopper has a fairly large role, but mysteriously he appears as a priest. Also, he talks slow and awkward like he can't remember his lines. I didn't really think this captured his ability very well. As another reviewer said, "Dennis Hopper is ineffective as a priest. If you're going to have Hopper in your movie; make the most of it, don't give him a role like this." There seemed to be little concern among the housemates that the food was poisoned. Or the booze. It is mentioned once, but I believe this is after they've already been eating and drinking.

The film has a weird soundtrack, which seems out of place (too pop rock for a horror film), and there's a strange hip-hop dance scene. I don't know what is up with that. But the film as a whole is good, and I have to say it has a great ending. I can't say what it is, of course, but if the film does not impress you, wait until the end because I think it really redeems itself of any flaws.

9 people in a sealed house. They are told only one of them would leave and he will be given 5 million dollars and then they are left to their own devices. You would expect some subtle psychological drama, but no. All the characters are archetypes, they behave programatically like little robots and after a while they only hurry up the pace since the movie's got to end at one point or another.

They do spend about 10 minutes to break out of the house, I give you that. Why they would chose to pathetically wait for the end the rest of the movie is beyond me. At least half of the movie consists of women shouting incoherently and men fighting for idiotic reasons.

However it is a better than a lot of other movies and it is worth a see, especially if you are a kid or you have tried to watch Das Experiment and stopped in the middle because you couldn't take it. Horror it is not, yet the end is funny and saves a lot of the movie.

I kinda liked Dennis Hopper. Why does he play in movies like that lately? Ntz Ntz Ntz

So, nine strangers get kidnapped, stuck in a house and told that the one who gets out alive will receive 5 million dollars. Yep, it isn't the most original or dazzling of concepts, but strangely enough it just about manages to pull off its modest ambitions. Despite the off pacing and some shocking dialogue, things keep moving and really catch fire for a satisfying final block. Style is what holds this one together, director Steven R. Munroe has a great feel for the cold, impersonal setting, the camera roams gleaming corridors and clinically gazes at its mysteries, a sterile and uncomfortable feel neatly offset by the bumptious characters. He is just alright at the dramatic side of things though, like the actors he does his best with the script but he fails in enticing the right vivid performances out of all. Dennis Hopper has a bizarrely pacifying role as an Irish priest, wielding grizzled authority and a gentle wisdom he puts in a good show. Peter Capaldi is occasionally amusing but his role is underwritten and others mostly show their non-acting talents. However a welcome current of off kilter craziness comes from French actor Hippolyte Girardot, really relishing his part he plays it broad and brings great fun, a big bonus to the film. The only part that really didn't work for me was Asher D in a hideously written cliché of a no talent rapper character, he appears not to have any talent to begin with but I'm still surprised that he didn't tear up the script, given some of the bilious nonsense he has to utter. Generally speaking everyone works OK together, some sparks are there and the right gradual escalation of tensions, it's a nicely multi-national cast and though often soapy their behaviour is shot to stylish effect. It just isn't that interesting or exciting and the plot doesn't have enough movement in it to sustain the run time. For the most part the film follows a holding pattern, there isn't all that much going on and some of the decisions made are pretty dumb, it would have been better I think if the film got to the crunch earlier and then either spun out its shenanigans for longer or finished earlier. At least when things finally do explode they do so in fine fashion, bloody, tense and mean, the final 20 minutes or so is rather a blast and does a pretty decent job in making the audience forget earlier longueurs. It doesn't make up for everything, but still left me liking the film well enough at the end. I can't exactly recommend this one highly, but it is alright in my book, worth a watch if the plot intrigues but don't expect anything too impressive. 6/10 from me then