House of Salem

I saw this at London FrightFest 2016. The best thing I can say is that it's ambitious. My initial thought when it finished was that everyone's got to start somewhere - and that everyone involved can only get better. I was surprised to see that the writer/director has so many short movies under his belt. It would be interesting to view those to see if he has become a better filmmaker with each one...

I'd love for the writer/director to compare his movie to one that he admires that is of the same genre and scale - and to tell us his thoughts.

I thought it dragged a bit in the beginning but the story is great! First there's a kidnapping. Which turns out to be more. Which turns out to be more & more & more. Pretty original with scary villains, a demonic cult & seriously evil paranormal experiments. With an even more intense ending.

I could have done with less violence, but it lent credibility to the criminal element. Visuals could have been better, but were adequate for this low budget. Even though I'd love to see this re-made with the best minds & resources. It does have an amateur vibe, which is only disappointing 'cause it could be epic.

The scariest thing about this movie is the opening and closing credits. They certainly give you the impression that the 100 or so minute movie that comes in between must be something pretty frightening. Sadly, it is not. Instead it is filled with wooden acting, a convoluted plot and a lot of improbable plot points. That's a pity because at the heart of this movie is a promising concept - not wholly original, but promising.

I know nothing about the people who made this film, but it's pretty obvious that they were not part of a major production company. In fact, you get the distinct impression that everyone involved with this is just learning their craft, whether they be the actors, writers, director, special effects guys and so on. If that is the case, then I am prepared to say that this was a good start and wish all involved well for the future. If that is NOT the case then I can only hope that the participants in this have another career to fall back on.

If you have any family members involved in this then by all means watch it and support them. If you don't have any friends or family involved then don't waste your time.