A South Sudanese refugee couple is plagued by
a malevolent spirit tied to the sins of their past. HORROR
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His House (2020)Written and Directed by Remi Weekes
Starring Sope Dirisu, Wunmi Mosaku, Matt Smith, Javier Botet, Malaika Wakoli-Abigaba |
The haunted house subgenre of horror is starting to get overplayed. It's very difficult to be original anymore, and most ideas have been done to death numerous times. Somehow, first time filmmaker Remi Weekes has brought an original story into this subgenre, giving us a powerful story of two refugees trying to wipe the slate clean in a new country, and one of the most unsettling horror movies in recent years. His House is full of vibrant, engaging characters, creepy as shit set pieces, and a concept that is all too real to so many people.
Bol (Dirisu) and his wife Rial (Mosaku) are a refugee couple who fled war-torn South Sudan and found their way to England, losing their daughter Nyagak (Wakoli-Agigaba) in the process. They are granted temporary asylum, so long as they report weekly to the immigration office. In the meantime, they are given a house in a dangerous neighborhood, where they are harrassed for being immigrants. Also, there's a dark, evil presence in the house that's constantly reminding them of their own sins. There's a few scenes that are just disturbing, especially once you learn exactly what happened to their daughter. His House is a smart, thoughtful, character study that just so happens to moonlight as a frightening horror film. It's one of Netflix's best outputs in the genre, and will no doubt start a promising career for Remi Weekes. |