A young woman placed under house arrest suspects that
there may be a supernatural presence in her childhood home. COMEDY/HORROR
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Housebound (2014)Written and Directed by Gerard Johnstone
Starring Morgana O'Reilly, Rima Te Wiata, Glen-Paul Waru, Ross Harper, Cameron Rhodes, Ryan Lampp |
This New Zealand-produced horror comedy was the perfect blend of both genres that poked great fun at the haunted house subgenre while also being surprisingly scary. Housebound is well-written and character driven, and its comedic moments are well-timed and don't take away from the dark horror story that keeps the film going. It does have its flaws, though they aren't many. I would've wanted more focus on the character of Eugene, a character so outrageously spoilerific that I won't say anymore about him. Suffice to say, you'll want to know more.
The performances are decent, as everybody delivers a wholly entertaining and enjoyable one. The standout was Glen-Paul Waru, who played one of the most delightfully hilarious horror movie characters of all time, Amos the hapless probation officer who keeps getting in way over his head. Amos is single-handedly responsible for most of the film's funniest moments and I wish Waru all the best in solidifying a strong film career in the near future. Housebound is yet another shining example of foreign studios' ability to craft horror comedies that are vastly superior to the ones coming out of Hollywood. For some reason, American studios can't seem to accomplish a memorable blend of horror and comedy, apart from a few exceptions like Zombieland and Tucker & Dale vs. Evil. Yet, compared to horror-comedies like Shaun of the Dead and this film, they don't hold a candle. New Zealand is a relative newcomer to the scene, but if they keep making films like this, they'll be major players in no time. |