The House Of The Devil(2009)
Directed By Ti West 
In one word "dissapointing". The slasher genre has not been reconstructed, despite claims to to the contrary, that this film has ressurected what "Scream" cast asunder. 
There are some interesting points here and there, chief among them that nothing really happens for the first hour, but even after things "kick off'" it's so underwhelming, that any suspsense, tension, or mood becomes mute. 
The "satanic ritual" sequence featuring a poor man's Golum, was too short, to be shocking or horrifying.
"The House Of The Devil" knows how to create it's 80s authenticity well without sacrificing its own brand of blink and you'll miss it subtle creepiness, and uses its actors Tom Noonan (Caden's shadow self from SY New York), and prototypical "final girl" Joceline Donahue to about as good effect as could be expected of them, but all this does not a good movie make. 
The film feels commanding in it's slow Roman Polanski build up, recalling "Rosemary's Baby" and "Repulsion", (not to mention a slew of 80's slasher flicks) but once director Ti West get's to the point, it's already grown tedious and uninspired. 
His next two films are both sequels "Cabin Fever 2" and "A Haunting In Georgia" (in case Conneticut isnt scary enough), for further evidence of his repetitive middle of the road style (the credits are even the same font and color Tarantino uses). 
Ritual satanic abuse was only scary in "Session 9" and then only because it was on audio tape and not shown and functioned as a Mcguffin, not the heart of the action. 
The best thing about this film is the poster art; it's probably some of the best movie art of the decade. 
Though it aims to be the first well executed post-Grindhouse, Grindhouse movie, it doesn't have the love, creativity, or audacity of Tarantino/Rodriguez project. It might have made a good trailer to go in between those better films. 
If you love suspense, this may be the movie for you, but if you except that suspense to amount to something worthy of being afraid of, this is nothing to rush out for. 
"The House Of The Devil" is ultimately not that exciting of a place, I'd rather spend "A Weekend At Bernies". 
There are some interesting points here and there, chief among them that nothing really happens for the first hour, but even after things "kick off'" it's so underwhelming, that any suspsense, tension, or mood becomes mute. The "satanic ritual" sequence featuring a poor man's Golum, was too short, to be shocking or horrifying."The House Of The Devil" knows how to create it's 80s authenticity well without sacrificing its own brand of blink and you'll miss it subtle creepiness, and uses its actors Tom Noonan (Caden's shadow self from SY New York), and prototypical "final girl" Joceline Donahue to about as good effect as could be expected of them, but all this does not a good movie make. The film feels commanding in it's slow Roman Polanski build up, recalling "Rosemary's Baby" and "Repulsion", (not to mention a slew of 80's slasher flicks) but once director Ti West get's to the point, it's already grown tedious and uninspired. His next two films are both sequels "Cabin Fever 2" and "A Haunting In Georgia" (in case Conneticut isnt scary enough), for further evidence of his repetitive middle of the road style (the credits are even the same font and color Tarantino uses). Ritual satanic abuse was only scary in "Session 9" and then only because it was on audio tape and not shown and functioned as a Mcguffin, not the heart of the action. The best thing about this film is the poster art; it's probably some of the best movie art of the decade. Though it aims to be the first well executed post-Grindhouse, Grindhouse movie, it doesn't have the love, creativity, or audacity of Tarantino/Rodriguez project. It might have made a good trailer to go in between those better films. If you love suspense, this may be the movie for you, but if you except that suspense to amount to something worthy of being afraid of, this is nothing to rush out for. "The House Of The Devil" is ultimately not that exciting of a place, I'd rather spend "A Weekend At Bernies". 
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