La proie d'une ombre

With a dreadful, disquieting atmosphere pervading its frames and a dark, disturbing mystery simmering beneath the surface, The Night House makes for a gripping, haunting & gradually escalating psychological horror with a plot that only gets more uneasy & uncomfortable as it progresses, and is powerfully anchored by Rebecca Hall's emotionally engrossing showcase.

Directed by David Bruckner (The Ritual), the story explores loss, grief, depression, loneliness, death & longing through vehicles of horror and is able to keep us invested in the proceedings throughout its runtime with surprising ease. Bruckner fills the space with an unnerving chill & sense of dread and unravels the mystery one step at a time but the ending isn't as satisfying as expected.

The isolated setting, silent camerawork, steady pace & smart editing help ratchet the tension when required while the poignant score keeps reminding us of the crushing weight of the void that's opened up in our protagonist's life in the wake of her husband's demise. And rendering her loss & depression with unfailing precision is Rebecca Hall in what's undoubtedly amongst her career-best performances.

Overall, The Night House is an intelligently crafted, skilfully told, effectively shot & brilliantly acted genre offering that quietly immerses the viewers into its unsettling premise and has a firm grip on our emotions before we even know it. Exhibiting first-rate work on all fronts and further bolstered by Hall's committed act, this atmospheric horror does falter in the last act but everything before it is intense & riveting. Don't miss it.

"The Night House" is a haunting and captivating psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Starring Rebecca Hall in a tour de force performance, the film follows a widow named Beth as she struggles to come to terms with the sudden and mysterious death of her husband. As she delves deeper into her husband's past, she uncovers a series of dark secrets that threaten to unravel her own sanity.

What sets "The Night House" apart from other horror movies is its nuanced exploration of grief and trauma. The film is not just about jump scares and gore, but rather about the psychological toll that loss can take on a person. Rebecca Hall delivers an outstanding performance as Beth, capturing the character's emotional turmoil and vulnerability with incredible depth and nuance.

The cinematography and sound design in "The Night House" are also top-notch, creating a palpable sense of unease and tension throughout the film. The movie's stunning visuals and eerie atmosphere will leave you feeling unsettled long after the credits roll.

Overall, "The Night House" is a must-see for fans of psychological horror. It is a thought-provoking and deeply unsettling film that will stay with you for a long time. Rebecca Hall's powerful performance and the film's masterful storytelling make it one of the best horror movies of the year.

Good pace, Brilliantly acted, and above all intense and genuinely creepy......

But,

And this is where it looses me...

Being Vague isn't intelligent.

So many films these days just skip over that little part where it all comes together. Where the plot thickens. They avoid massive plot holes And just look the other way.

There are whole scenes in this movie that have absolutely nothing to do with anything, they are only there to be scary and mysterious, but don't further the plot or are even explained in anyway.

It's A Mystery if the Writer clearly has no idea how to end it?

Would "Seven" have been a better film if we never found out "Whats in The Box"?

Anticlimactic

Leaving the viewer to fill in the voids is lazy storytelling.

Rant over.

First there is Hall who, until now, has been punching below her weight class and finally gets to show she can carry a film. A tight script, nicely directed. And some genuinely scary scenes.

Well-made psychological horror flick with a great performance by Rebecca Hall. It can be considered a slow burn but I was fully invested and never bored. Very atmospheric. Lots of beautiful shots. Some effective scares. Great movie overall and I would definitely watch it again.

(2 viewings, 2/7/2022, 4/21/2024)