Secrets in the Walls

Television network Lifetime is a gift that keeps on giving. Some of their original TV movies are more middling, sure, but whether romance or thriller, earnest piece or pure B-movie, many range from good to excellent. For better or worse, with rare exception, we know what to expect with almost any one film: predictability, kitsch, directness (e.g., the realtor JUST HAPPENS to be right there from the beginning), heavy-handedness, light and flavorful but unremarkable music that perfectly suits any given scene and mood, and so on. Of course we also need at least one very recognizable star, so in this case we get to see what Jeri Ryan can make of the network's offerings. 'Secrets in the walls' does diverge a little from the Lifetime formula, however, by introducing uncommonly seen elements of the supernatural, and even horror. Rest assured that this still predominantly carries itself as the drama, mystery, and thriller that we associate with Lifetime, but nonetheless this represents a slight variation. It's also one of the network's more sincere efforts, which are always a bigger risk, yet even if it's not a total must-see, I'm glad to say that this is surely one of the better iterations. Just as much to the point, this rather makes great use of its unlikely flavors, and in my opinion the result is much stronger than what one might generally assume.

True, there's nothing here we haven't seen before. The picture is fairly upfront about the goings-on, and even if it weren't, so innumerable has been the studio fare to tell similar tales that the "mystery" is rather nominal. Moreover, while the flick dabbles in a horror space, there's not necessarily anything about it that's abjectly grabbing in the way we anticipate of the genre; this is a horror-drama more than a horror-thriller. No matter how cynical and critical one might tend to be, however, I don't think there's much arguing that 'Secrets in the walls' is all-around solid. The cast give honest, meaningful performances - not anything groundbreaking, by any means, but illustrating welcome range, nuance, and emotional depth. Ryan is a reliable actor and proves it again here; young Kay Panabaker very much holds her own, and Peyton Roi List plays her part well; Ian Kahn and Marianne Jean-Baptiste are swell in their supporting parts. The production design and art direction are superb, as are the costume design, hair, and makeup. Though Jeff Cardoni's score doesn't strike a major chord in and of itself it really is suitable, and ably lends to the atmosphere that is successfully conjured through William Penick and Christopher D. Sey's screenplay, and Christopher Leitch's direction. I'll even go so far as to say that at some points the feature is sufficiently creepy as to send a slight chill down one's spine. If that doesn't make this a success, then what does?

There is more than enough kinship with Lifetime's usual TV movies such that anyone who isn't receptive to the style may have a harder time with this; the construction here is also light enough, softening the horror vibes, that genre purists may not be satisfied. If one is open to all that cinema has to offer, however, then I think there's actually a lot to like in these ninety minutes. It's familiar, but fun, and finely made in every fashion. It's a somewhat gentler variant of supernatural horror that we've gotten before, yet I don't think there are any abject flaws here, and nothing about it inherently discounts the possibility of enjoying it. I, for one, am pleased with how good this is. 'Secrets in the walls' doesn't demand viewership by any means, but if you're a fan of someone involved, otherwise have a specific impetus to watch, or are just looking for something good but comparatively uninvolved, in my book it earns a firm recommendation. Not every picture needs to be a revelation, and this is quite splendid just as it is.

Taking a new job in the city, a newly divorced woman and her two teenage daughters move into a grand house and come to discover someone else is living there that has dangerous plans for the family and must save them before it go through.

As this was a typical Lifetime style haunted house film, there's some really enjoyable moments here. What really works here is the fact that this one really makes the ghostly action here that really has an impressive air here. The start here, with the ghost hands appearing from the broken wall after initially finding that secret room, is a good start and as it gets deeper here these get even better with the flicking lights and ballerina box playing constantly whenever someone enters the room start this off quite nicely. Along with the rather creepy way the ghost keeps appearing in short visual cuts of the daughter seeing her around the house and up in the attic, there's a really solid air here that makes the suspected situations come off quite well and giving this something to work with when it gets to the more pronounced ghostly actions. The big encounter here is the scene of her being trapped in the closet and prying it open which rips open her hands as she's released, as well as the later gag of the jewelry box as she walks into the room to watch her sleep, and along with the actual possession scene here where the ghost appears and presents the necklace that leads to the possession which takes place in full-view of the terrified victim for a rather nice amount of fun here. This one also manages to get some nice work her in the final half of the possessed girl around the house giving this a rather fine atmosphere here, which is all enough there to make up for the minor flaws within this. The biggest element against this one is that it all too readily betrays its origins, being filled with all the usual prerequisites for this type of film as there's long stretches of time without any horror angles and too many useless elements merely meant for women to be hooked into watching that have no bearing on the plot as a whole. That usually means that most of the scares here build- up to a drama about her skills as a mother rather than horror angles, and they do cause this some problems because of that. The other main problem here is the rushed finale, as the brawl comes off rather clunky and off-putting by being so stagy, and the events here make it seem even weaker as there's another big problem with the scene away from the ideas behind the scene. While there's some good parts that make for some decent times here and there, these few flaws do hold it back.

Rated Unrated/PG-13: Violence and Language.

SPOILER: Divorced mum and her two young daughters move into a big old house that's price is too good to be true. Soon strange things start to happen, and just what is that false wall doing there?

Secrets in the Walls doesn't offer up anything new to the haunted house formula, and the premise bears a striking similarity to a Richard Matheson story, but it is effective at what it does. Standard haunted house rules apply, with creaks, a music box, a creepy grate, spooky drawings and boo-jump shocks via reflections and peek-a-boo dark corners. It's competently performed by Jeri Ryan, Marianne Jean-Baptise, Kay Panabaker and Peyton Roi List, Christopher Leitch's direction is up to scratch for the spook and shiver narrative, and the music and photography tech credits are not intrusive and therefore well utilised for sustained suspense.

It's a safe recommendation to fans of the haunted house splinter of horror, and coming out of the Lifetime Movie Network it's impressive to find it's better than a lot of bigger budgeted Hollywood genre pictures that have trundled out in recent years. 7/10

A simple horror film - nothing special during any part of it really. If it had released in theaters it probably would not've run.

Story: A family of 3 move into an ancient house when it is offered very cheap, only to find something strange going on inside it.

Storyline, Acting, camera work, thrills or horror - all are OK and nothing is too remarkable. I could not find any fault in anything with regards to the way it is made.

There is no vulgarity and it is not an adult horror film. Suited for family watch.

But it has nothing unique to offer really...same old concept as mentioned above. It's just a budget film.

SECRETS IN THE WALLS is yet more of the same old stuff: a struggling single mother moves into a cheap property with her two teenage daughters and soon finds that they're not alone in the creepy old building. Cue CGI-assisted spirits, a heavy debt of inspiration to the likes of THE RING, DARK WATER and classic ghost stories of old, and a general lack of originality.

Jeri Ryan, once a STAR TREK babe, appears tired and haggard in this made for TV outing that provides absolutely nothing new for genre fans. The scare scenes are well choreographed in advance and anything but frightening, and the bits inbetween the spooks are dull and talky.

The production as a whole suffers from that TV-movie style atmosphere in which everything is played safe and no chances are taken with style or plot twists. You'll guess the outcome from the very beginning and the journey to the end makes for one dull ride.