The House With A Clock In Its Walls (2018) – Film Review
Ah, Halloweentime. My favorite time of year—time to get spooky. I don’t know how I’ll be spending my Halloween this year—with work and the kinds of movies we’ll have and all—but what a good way to kick it off, even if it’s six weeks ahead-of-time.
Hokey, but fun, The House With A Clock In Its Walls (hereafter shortened to “House”), is almost Burton-esque. Definitely a turn for director Eli Roth (dir. Death Wish (2018), The Green Inferno), it’s family-friendly while still riding that more grown-up line. Some intense sequences, sure. It’s all artfully-done, though, and needn’t be a concern for unexpecting parents—the whole point of Halloween is to let loose, get a little fright with your fun…
Jack Black (Kung Fu Panda franchise, Tropic Thunder) and Cate Blanchett (Thor: Ragnarok, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) are fantastic. A little over-acted, at times, like other members of the relatively-exclusive cast, but it’s something I was able to shrug off easily. They’re both great actors, and I always enjoy watching them. I was having too much fun with the piece. Simple world-building, contained setting, and visually very appealing, House is a magnitude more pleasant and inviting than, say, my foray into Halloween feels already this season: Forcing myself to replay Amnesia: The Dark Descent.
The CGI is a bit telling—only off-putting in one or two moments I can think of—but a lot is also puppetry and crafty set-design. The production value is there—every bit of the creative budget is showed off on-screen. Roth and his crew had a vision, and they saw it through. How it all looks as compared to the book is irrelevant, as I and CinemaSins have said. The kid—Lewis, played by Owen Vaccaro—is cool, a nerd. Again, a bit over-acted, but it’s his story—his path to finding a family of “black swans” that are just as weird as he is. Battling demons, necromancy, and dark magic of many kinds, I’d say his bevy is forged in the fire.
The score is kind of Danny Elfman, even though it’s not his work. Some plot-points aren’t explored—perhaps cut for more hijinks and laughs—but I’m not complaining. Not every one of my review films has to be a thinker, has to leave me with some question on the way out of the theatre. Sometimes, surprising though it may be, I, too, like to be, simply, entertained. A popcorn flick—but…respectively-so.
Lively characters, color palettes suited to the season and the tone of the piece, and a rounded—if formulaic—story, House is a good kick-off, as I said in the beginning. This, Venom, Halloween (2018), Hell Fest, and the Goosebumps sequel set up a decent-looking slate for the next month or so to keep me in the spooky mood. House, too, is what I expected and wanted—a fun and care-free good time.
Final ‘Risk Assessment: ****/*.
Next review: Venom (Oct. 5th)
