House at the End of the Street (2012)
Certified: 16
Duration: 101 minutes
Directed by: Mark Tonderai
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Max Thieriot, Elisabeth Shue, Gil Bellows, Eva Link, Nolan Gerard Funk, Allie MacDonald
KRS release
Jennifer Lawrence is now a mega star due to her role in one of 2012’s biggest hits: The Hunger Games. She is bound to become even more famous with the upcoming Silver Linings Playbook that is rumoured to be one of the 2013 Oscar contenders.
House at the End of the Street is a fun horror B-film that cashes in on its young actress and gives her more credit. With a $7 million budget, the film took over $30 million in ticket sales at the US box office.
After divorcing, Sarah (Elisabeth Shue) and her teenage daughter Elissa (Jennifer Lawrence) relocate to a new town. Their new house is large and in an area that would usually be out of Sarah’s budget. But the property lost value because of a murder in a neighbouring house.
The owners of the building had been beaten to death by their daughter Carrie Ann (Eva Link) who had mental problems. Afterwards, the child drowned.
However, the house is not vacant. The murdered couple’s teenage son, Ryan (Max Theriot), still lives there. He rarely goes out and when he does so, it’s to face bullying sessions by Tyler (Nolan Gerard Funk), a high school jock, and his bandof cronies.
Soon Ryan and Elissa are drawn to each other, however, there is something in the house that will not let happiness grow. And danger lurks behind each and every corner.
The film follows all the regular conventions of the horror genre: the protagonists are warned not to go to certain places but they still go; not everything is as it appears to be; and things go bump in the night for no reason at all.
However, House at the End of the Street does not base itself on gore and blood; its thrills are of the psychological kind.
The film seems to be aimed at virgins to the genre – those who have not yet experienced a Saw film or Cabin in the Woods – and, by casting Lawrence as the main protagonist, at teenage girls. The latter will probably enjoy the film because they can identify with the protagonist.
Shue and Lawrence also make for an interesting and believable mother-daughter duo .
The conclusion is more about creeping its audience out rather than scaring it. In its essence, it’s a Fatal Attraction (1987) for a younger, modern generation.