In the House of Flies

It's a Canadian made movie so I didn't expect much, and sure enough I didn't get much.

The couple are boring with a capital B. Nothing in the way of 'captivating' personalities to stir or hold any interest much less care what happens to them.

The female lead is pretty plain in the looks department which makes it even more difficult to sit and endure this whole tedious mess.

The captives don't seem to do much other than comply so where is the thrill in a movie that claims to be a thriller.

I guess the concept is acceptable even though at this point in time it's been done to death only with a little more pizzaz than what this has to offer.

Heather (Lindsay Smith) and Steve (Ryan Kotack) are in love. As they take in the day with a tour of the Niagara Falls region (while Loverboy plays over the assortment of images) they seem like they are on top of the world. And then…..

Drugged, abducted and secured in a solid concrete bunker in the middle of nowhere, Heather and Steve awaken to unfamiliarity of their new setting. Confused and disoriented and with only the smallest of windows to provide them with light, Heather and Steve soon learn that they have been captured as part of a sick diabolical imprisoner who communicates to the couple through a landline phone placed within their cell. As voiced by Henry Rollins, the voice on the other end of the phone will run the pair through challenges and rewards the duo with combinations to cases located within the cell that include items that will keep them alive. But for how long? In the House of Files was directed by Gabriel Carrer whose most notable credit prior to this entry was 2011's If a Tree Falls – a film we were hardly kind to in our review.

But In the House of Flies keeps things simple and the result in a highly recommendable psychological thriller that borrows from more familiar horror films such as Saw and 13 Sins.

We never do find out the motive behind their captors intentions. And that's a good thing. There is no backstory of how they were abused as a child or had a traumatic experience in a basement themselves leading them to a motive that is undeniably malevolent. Sometimes, people are just evil. Plain and simple. And we appreciated how In the House of Flies didn't try too hard to give us a reason why everything was occurring around our protagonists.

The confinement to the concrete bunker allowed for a considerable chilling claustrophobic feel that worked to the film's benefit and audiences will strive for air and sunlight as much as the two central characters as a result of the film's authentic setting.

If we had one thing of the not-so-kind sort to say about In the House of Flies is that it felt like it had been done before. Might not have been done better but the film didn't feel as original as we would have hoped in its attempt to rise so prominently among its peers.

Still, In the House of Files is a good film and you would not be doing yourself a disservice to your watching time allotment if you are able to seek it out and give it a shot.

www.killerreviews.com

Can't give a review to this because I had to turn it off after 20 minute's. The acting is horrible and from what I can tell it definitely looks like someone watched Saw.

The story is a strong, well thought out situation that builds on a steady, tense chain of events framed by a claustrophobic, and hopeless setting. The acting is pretty tight, with most of the film's thrills coming from the situational reaction of the captive couple at the mercy of an unknown psychopath. The concept is pretty customary in modern horror with characters forced to play out the twisted games of a nightmarish persona. The overall effect of the drama, meant to cause chills and tension becomes slightly tedious over the course of the film, but the cast manages to create an uncomfortable, emotional atmosphere which allowed me to build a connection, and feel invested.

The special effects are subdued, limited practical effects that offer a mix of gore, and grit. The majority of "In The House Of Flies" effectiveness as a horror film comes from the cramped setting, creepy props, insects, and macabre atmosphere. These things are 90 percent of the films horror element, sometimes giving us chilly realness, other times remaining inert properties. The sound effects do offer up an extra dose of despair, which helps to create that suspenseful unease effect. I had no real complaints on that aspect of this film.

Overall "In The House Of Flies" fails to really be horrific, often the film becomes a bit boring. The slow pace, mild nature did little to thrill me. The drama, writing, and effects were pretty stellar for an indie micro-budget film like this. Carrer's shows real talent with "In The House Of Flies" but the lack of action, and real energy keeps the film from really excelling considering the concept. The ending is a bit underwhelming, considering the cool vibe created by the opening scenes. It would have been nice if Carrer would have finished with that level of energy considering how sedate the majority of the film tends to be.

After reading a review from the Hollywood Reporter, I decided to give this film a shot and I am glad I did. The film about two lovers who are kidnapped is a tight knit psychological thriller that delves into the emotional depths of a relationship in a dire situation.

The film is slow in places and once in a while becomes so claustrophobic that you start to get uncomfortable with it. With that being said the film delivers when you do not think it will and for that reason it is highly recommended. The good definitely outweighs bad and any true horror fan will dig the fact it isn't a slasher with ridiculous violence.