Director: Reinert Kiil
Cast: Frederik von Lüttichau, Mats Reinhardt, Sondre Krogtoft Larsen
Production Company: Sanctum Film
Runtime: 85 minutes
Home is where the heart is, but The House (2016) will make it stop dead…
In the movie, two Nazi soldiers take a Norwegian prisoner through the bleak Scandinavian wilderness. The winter conditions are harsh, but they soon come upon an abandoned house and take shelter. Inside, they discover a fate worse than any death.
The movie’s original title was Huset, which can mean either house or family. Both have significance to this particular narrative. The film was made in Norway and is in German, Norwegian, and English. It’s very easy to follow for a number of reasons…
There are long stretches without any dialogue in this movie. Many of the events are expressed entirely through cryptic visuals. That’s not to say the characters don’t speak when necessary, but those moments are kept to a minimum. This also serves to make the viewer uncomfortable.
Frederik von Lüttichau from A Room to Die For (2017) slowly goes mad in the role of Andreas Fleiss. He’s young and impressionable, leaving him unhinged by the possibility of a supernatural encounter. Mats Reinhardt is excellent as his more rational superior officer.
Sondre Krogtoft Larsen from Christmas Blood (2017) competently portrays their bedevilled prisoner. His true role is a little mysterious in nature…
The movie also features Espen Edvartsen from Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead (2014), Sigmund Sæverud from Iskaldt (2008), Evy Kasseth Røsten from Dead Snow (2009), and Heidi Ødegaard Mikkelsen from Inside the Whore (2012).
The house itself happens to be a genuinely creepy location. Everything in it seem historically accurate, which only adds to its eerie charm. The lighting creates a stark contrast filling the dwelling with dark shadows. The film is drained of most colour and has elements of film noir.
The movie’s events are shrouded in mystery. For the longest time, I wasn’t sure if they were paranormal in nature, or if someone else was in the house messing with them. Everything is methodically paced, underscoring the idea that the characters are trapped.
A timeline appears in the end credits to help make sense of the enigmatic conclusion. The House will allow you to come in and get cozy, but it won’t ever let you out…
– John Migliore
For more information on the film, check out the links below…
Indie Horror Online 