THE HOUSE OF HIM (2014)

The House of Him (2014)
Directed by: Robert Florence
Written by: Robert Florence
Starring: Kirsty Strain, Louise Stewart, Richard Rankin

THE HOUSE OF HIM (2014)
Written and directed by Robert Florence
Available to watch on TheHorrorShow.TV

[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/118806369[/vimeo]

Anna joins Sophie as she attends a photoshoot at a guy’s house, however the duo discover he is in fact a serial killer. With her friend dying in the kitchen, Anna faces becoming his 27th victim but the creepy voices coming from the walls could have life-changing effects for everyone inside.

Scottish indie film THE HOUSE OF HIM is more of a drama than it is a horror movie. Whilst it contains horror elements and physical violence, it’s actually quite a dialogue heavy drama that is one huge reference to domestic violence and abuse. Using the haunted house element, the scale of the abuse is revealed and with the input of these voices, Anna’s bleak future can be changed. This reflects how speaking to other victims of domestic abuse, such as through groups and charities, can help those who are currently affected by it and trapped, just like Anna.

As a horror film, THE HOUSE OF HIM struggles to work. The pace is very sluggish with little to no charisma, engaging storyline or visual engagement present. The dialogue heavy scenes don’t help in building momentum of the movie either. A movie should grab you, be it visually or through its storytelling, but THE HOUSE OF HIM did neither for me. By the time the haunting of the killer’s house is in full swing, I’d passed caring and felt drained from the inactivity of the earlier scenes. Even the script struggled to maintain interest through the numerous scenes of conversation.

Set completely in the killer’s house, the film does a good job of feeling claustrophobic and making Anna feel trapped. The radio reports and the child knocking on the door are also creepy elements of the movie that reinforce the emotions of the film’s true meaning. However, there’s very little tension in the movie to actually feel threatened as the killer (Richard Rankin) always seems to be quite upfront about his feelings and expectations of Anna (Louise Stewart), his doomed guest.

Though THE HOUSE OF HIM conveys the metaphor of domestic abuse well throughout the running time, it doesn’t really hit home as an engaging piece of cinema.

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