#HouseWithAClock Trailer Reviews (III)

Trailer reviews: The House with a Clock in it Walls

The first trailer has released, and it gives off a very Goosebumps meets Harry Potter feel. They tried to throw in slight bits of humor amongst the very family friendly horror, but all seems very repetitive to what we have seen in the past. Of course, since it comes from an older book, it is new in its own stance but maybe they just made the film a little late.

Those of us with children and a love for horror can at least get our young ones into the obsession early with this clean adaption of the gothic novel, as the trailer is quite entertaining for the younger age. When it comes to how the movie will be, that is to be determined as true horror fans need to take a step back and realize this is meant for the kids who do not have the same level as experience judging scary movies. It does seem very fun and like a good day out at the theaters for a family, but I would assume that the older crowd will not be jumping for joy to run and see this film – unless they have an attachment to the novel itself. 

ScreenGeek
March 27, 2018

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I didn’t bring up a Harry Potter comparison earlier, but there’s definitely a case to be made for a little boy traversing the clearly magical terrain of his weird uncle’s house. It’s a reverse Dursley situation, where the child is normal and his eccentric relative is the one who can manipulate fireballs. From the promising footage, The House with a Clock in Its Wall could be a great, creepier addition to the ongoing obsession with a wizarding universe, sitting nicely beside the Fantastic Beasts franchise as a more contained alternative that still features magic.

The verdict is still out on whether Black is an appropriate actor for the part of Lewis’s uncle Jonathan Barnavelt. Between Goosebumps and the Jumanji sequel, Black continues to reinforce his usual over-the-top acting style that The House with a Clock in Its Walls isn’t likely to subvert. So maybe some of those funnier close-ups are meant to make people laugh in their lack of subtlety. For her part, Blanchett looks enchanting, playing the part of the equally enigmatic Florence Zimmermann — Jonathan’s neighbor — with incredible, commanding poise. Vaccaro spends most of the trailer gazing around in wonderment but easily passes the baseline test of up-and-coming child actors: adorableness. Here’s to hoping that he’ll be able to hold his own against two acting veterans.

Film School Rejects
March 28, 2018