John Bellairs’ 1973 novel “The House with a Clock in Its Walls” was the first of the author’s six YA books to be illustrated by the late Edward Gorey, whose pen-and-ink drawings were sinister and delightful in equal measure; they invited children to embrace the darkness of growing up without surrendering the sense of wonder that kept them young. Universal’s soulless 2018 film adaptation of the same name, on the other hand, is directed by “Hostel” auteur Eli Roth, whose cartoonish approach makes this bittersweet saga of witchcraft and wizardry feel like nothing more than a well-furnished theme park attraction. Still, it’s sure to be a veritable nightmare factory for kids of a certain age, and there can only be so much shade to throw at a movie in which Cate Blanchett head-butts a demonically possessed pumpkin in order to help save the world from Kyle MacLachlan’s rotting corpse.
It’s easier to believe in all of the magic stuff, even though the movie resists any sort of unifying internal logic for how its sorcery works. It doesn’t matter who makes the glass-stained windows move, or how the playing cards change denominations in your hand, or why the chewed-up loveseat whimpers like a puppy; these things just happen, though all of them would be much easier to accept if any of them were endowed with any real creative purpose. Or maybe not: Roth’s most well-realized supernatural creature is a topiary chimera who has a nasty habit of unleashing a projectile torrent of shit whenever a scene runs too long (one does not get the sense that either Roth or screenwriter Eric Kripke have thought through whatever a flying lion made out of grass likes to eat).
Lucky for Lewis, his uncle’s house has its charms, the most delightful of which is Jonathan’s neighbor and lovingly platonic nemesis, Florence Zimmerman (Blanchett, draped in purple, and striking her usual balance of warmth and severity as a sympathetic aunt type who’s dealing with a profound loss of her own). A good witch in both talent and morality, Florence almost exudes enough personality to compensate for the fact that Lewis is a wet blanket who spends most of the movie reacting to chintzy special effects.
Grade: C
It’s easier to believe in all of the magic stuff, even though the movie resists any sort of unifying internal logic for how its sorcery works. It doesn’t matter who makes the glass-stained windows move, or how the playing cards change denominations in your hand, or why the chewed-up loveseat whimpers like a puppy; these things just happen, though all of them would be much easier to accept if any of them were endowed with any real creative purpose. Or maybe not: Roth’s most well-realized supernatural creature is a topiary chimera who has a nasty habit of unleashing a projectile torrent of shit whenever a scene runs too long (one does not get the sense that either Roth or screenwriter Eric Kripke have thought through whatever a flying lion made out of grass likes to eat).
Lucky for Lewis, his uncle’s house has its charms, the most delightful of which is Jonathan’s neighbor and lovingly platonic nemesis, Florence Zimmerman (Blanchett, draped in purple, and striking her usual balance of warmth and severity as a sympathetic aunt type who’s dealing with a profound loss of her own). A good witch in both talent and morality, Florence almost exudes enough personality to compensate for the fact that Lewis is a wet blanket who spends most of the movie reacting to chintzy special effects.
Grade: C
David Ehrlich
IndieWire
“House” follows Lewis on his journey to build a new family, learn the art of magic for himself, make new friends in school, and eventually save the world from a magical MacGuffin. The plot is comfortably familiar, the performances are enjoyably quirky and the horror is just creepy enough to entertain kids at a Halloween slumber party without giving anyone nightmares.
In other words, “The House With a Clock in Its Walls” is exactly what it looks like, and more or less exactly what it should be. It’s the perfect double feature with “Goosebumps,” another surprisingly effective family-horror hybrid starring Jack Black.
If the actor is actively attempting to model his late career on Vincent Price’s, the world might just be better for it. He’s an amiable guide into the world of the supernatural, and he knows when to turn off the charm and scream in genuine terror, so his audience can, if only for a moment, take the story completely seriously.
Roth’s film (written by “Supernatural” creator Eric Kripke) falls short of Halloween classic territory, but not by much. There’s an eagerness to get to the magical good stuff in “House,” but the rush does the film no favors and undermines how effective it can be as a meaningful story, or even just a scary one.
“House” follows Lewis on his journey to build a new family, learn the art of magic for himself, make new friends in school, and eventually save the world from a magical MacGuffin. The plot is comfortably familiar, the performances are enjoyably quirky and the horror is just creepy enough to entertain kids at a Halloween slumber party without giving anyone nightmares.
In other words, “The House With a Clock in Its Walls” is exactly what it looks like, and more or less exactly what it should be. It’s the perfect double feature with “Goosebumps,” another surprisingly effective family-horror hybrid starring Jack Black.
If the actor is actively attempting to model his late career on Vincent Price’s, the world might just be better for it. He’s an amiable guide into the world of the supernatural, and he knows when to turn off the charm and scream in genuine terror, so his audience can, if only for a moment, take the story completely seriously.
Roth’s film (written by “Supernatural” creator Eric Kripke) falls short of Halloween classic territory, but not by much. There’s an eagerness to get to the magical good stuff in “House,” but the rush does the film no favors and undermines how effective it can be as a meaningful story, or even just a scary one.
William Bibbiani
The House with a Clock in Its Walls comes from horror master Eli Roth (Cabin Fever, Hostel), who's made a name for himself with violent, R-rated fare, but proves himself adept at a different kind of horror with this family-friendly feature. Though House with a Clock in Its Walls is undoubtedly muted for the kids its intended for, Roth effectively balances tension-building scenes - aided by Nathan Barr's soundtrack - with horrific payoffs for some fun frights. Plus, the film has a skillfully written script by Eric Kripke (Supernatural, Timeless) that intertwines fantastical elements with horror and grounds it all in compelling characters - though, the movie undoubtedly favors the arcs of Black's Jonathan and Blanchett's Florence over Lewis, who is ostensibly the main character. Still, House with a Clock in Its Walls is undoubtedly a Kripke script, with plenty of humor and heart for viewers of all ages, that's brought to life with Roth's keen eye for horror
Ultimately, The House with a Clock in Its Walls is an incredibly solid children's adventure that adults will be able to enjoy as well, though it may be too scary for younger kids. Its visuals and magical moments are stunning on the big screen, but may not warrant a trip to IMAX, where the sometimes-clunky CGI is unfortunately easier to see. Though it may not become a classic like previous Amblin-produced family adventures, The House with a Clock in Its Walls is an entertaining ride with plenty of fun and compelling characters - not to mention, quirky magical household items that will enchant viewers.
Molly Freeman
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