PLOT: A man thinks his mysterious date will be another casual hook-up. While getting acquainted, their flirtation turns playful, sexy and sinister. Hoping to get lucky, his luck may have just run out.
STORY: House of Darkness is a slowburn in every sense of the word. If you’re going into this expecting a lot to happen, then you may be disappointed. Writer and Director Neil Labute ramps up the tension as the story unfolds and trusts the audience to have some patience. But this story of a man trying to get laid, isn’t quite what you would expect it to be.
The opening credits, with red font, while a piano and strings play in the background felt like an Old Hammer Horror film. It really helps set up the gothic aesthetic right from the jump. In many ways, this is a modern story told through the lens of the past. Many of the techniques and framing methods are more in line with films from the 60’s and 70’s than most horror today. In fact, the only jump scare is called out for being such, which is refreshing in this day and age.
Justin Long plays a pathological liar who is trying to get lucky after going home with a woman from the bar. He’s clearly done this many times and isn’t exactly the nicest protagonist in the world. He even gets a sleazy call from one of his buddies, inquiring about the hot blonde he went home with. Making him a little bit more relatable would have gone a long way in adding to the tension. As is, you’re more just waiting for this dummy to get his comeuppance.
I’ve never considered myself wowed by Kate Bosworth, but she delivers a great performance here. She’s able to portray such a sweet and innocent person and slowly gets darker and darker as the movie progresses. It feels like such a gradual and natural change and adds to the texture of the story at play. Gia Crovatin appears as Mina’s sister, Lucy, and does a great job as well. Her monologue in the third act is a lot of fun.
The mystery of what on earth Mina is up to permeates the entire movie, not really giving a satisfying answer until the closing moments. But that just allows the tension to build and for plenty of interesting character moments. This movie could have been a stageplay with all the dialogue and lack of scenery change. Coming from Labute, this isn’t a surprise, but it’s certainly welcome. I could have done with a few more of those snazzy shots in the cave.
I’m sure a rewatch is to just to see how manipulative Mina is during the runtime. It could have been poorly done in many ways, but they do a good job with it. It’s not a matter of whether or not Mina is evil. It’s what kind of evil she is. Labute is really masterful with his pacing and has come a long way since his Wicker Man remake. I’m not sure why “comedy” is being thrown around with this movie because I didn’t find any comedic elements. If anything, it was a deliberately paced, gothic horror film.
House of Darkness covers similar ground to the recently released The Invitation. It certainly follows the path of other films but still manages to carve out an identity of its own. There’s plenty to like with great performances and a wonderfully creepy atmosphere. While the ending doesn’t entirely land, the journey there is still a really intriguing thrill ride.
House of Darkness releases in theaters September 9, 2022 and on Demand and Digital September 13, 2022.