When I write reviews, I usually get started on them immediately after the movie ends. If I wait any longer, the specific details that I want to cover get lost. My process is simple; I type out everything running through my head and then reorganize these thoughts into a more cohesive review. Usually, I have at least one or two major points I want to center my review around, as well as thoughts I have on more technical aspects of the film. When it comes to Netflix’s newest horror release There’s Someone Inside Your House, I was faced with a challenge I rarely have to deal with: having absolutely nothing to say.
Here’s what you need to know about the film’s plot. Makani (Sydney Park) has moved from Hawai’i to Oklahoma to finish her high school education after a mysterious and tragic event. Unfortunately for her, secrets do not stay buried for long. When students with major things to hide are turning up dead, Makani and her friends have to figure out who the culprit is before they’re next. It’s a standard plot for a film like this, and it certainly is intriguing. The problem with House is how bored it seems to be about the idea. The motivations for why the killer targets their victims range wildly and the ultimate reason why the killings are happening in the first place is meaningless.
This is a common thread that persists throughout the film. House has absolutely no justification for why it should exist. You can’t market it for its kills, which are boring and far from earning the film’s R rating. You can’t promote its ensemble of characters, who aren’t given much depth beyond what they are or aren’t hiding. Worst of all, you can’t recommend that anyone watch it because the story wastes an interesting premise by making the endgame nearly incomprehensible. While director Patrick Brice attempts to add style to it through some clever shots and camera positions, it doesn’t do much to make the viewing experience any more pleasant.
It is worth mentioning that the film was adapted from a novel by Stephanie Perkins. I have not read the book and thus I cannot properly describe the differences or liberties the film takes in comparison. However, it is worth mentioning that the film changes some of the characters from the novel in order to better suit their actors. For instance, Makani was changed from being half-Native Hawaiian to half-Korean in order to stay true to Park’s ethnicity. The character of Darby, a nonbinary friend of Makani with a love of astronomy, was also changed from a binary trans man in the novel to better suit actor Jesse LaTourette. It is notable that these changes were made to accommodate for the casting rather than risk controversy. That being said, considering how lifeless everyone seems to be delivering their lines, you can’t help but wonder if they could’ve found better actors that fit the novel’s original descriptions if they just sought them out further.
Netflix has often been criticized for seemingly putting quantity over quality. While this certainly isn’t the case for all their original movies, it can be argued that the majority of their work is easily forgettable. This is the case for There’s Someone Inside Your House, which I am struggling to remember further as I’m writing this. If you’re looking for a good slasher to watch this Halloween, just watch the Fear Street trilogy again.
