Housebound is not what you think it is. In fact, I would be flabbergasted if you were not surprised at least two, or three times before the end credits rolled. Its part ghost story, murder mystery and comedy, all wrapped up in a neat little package and one that should be consumed immediately!
Release: Oct 17th, 2014
Rating: NR
Run time: 107 mins
Starring: Morgana O’Reilly, Rima Te Wiata
Director: Gerard Johnstone
Short nitty-gritty plot description from IMDb is as follows: Kylie Bucknell is forced to return to the house she grew up in when the court places her on home detention – in her mother’s haunted home. As she too becomes privy to unsettling whispers & strange bumps in the night, she begins to wonder whether she’s inherited her mother’s overactive imagination, or if the house is in fact possessed by a hostile spirit who’s not particularly thrilled about her return.
Tatlock’s Quick ‘n Dirty Review: I don’t want to go into any direct specifics, so let’s cheat a little and just make this review nice and short!
Housebound has all the good stuff you want when you need to waste a few hours on a boring night. It will keep you entertained with the witty characters, the snappy dialogue and plenty of tense moments. You’ll be scared when appropriate and laughing at plenty of scenes that bleed humour. It’s just an all-around wonderful film.
If I was to list any negatives, it would only be one small tiny bit near the end of the film, when a shift in character occurs, that really doesn’t make sense. A moment ago, this person believed everything another person said, but a few bits of weak evidence later and suddenly he or she stops believing the person. It didn’t make sense at the moment and brought you out of the film a bit. Still, it is a tiny, tiny negative and one that in no way will ruin the film.
Verdict: Housebound was a wonderful surprise, with so many twist and turns, your head will be spinning. It’s got all the right stuff, with only one small issue, which may not bother many. I highly recommend moving into this house for the long run.
Rating:
