Housebound (2014) is a movie that I saw only because of one of those idiotic “Recommended for you” listings on the IMDb. You know the things I mean — titles recommended because of something you rated highly or lingered too long on the page for. The recommendations also come from some form of mystical divination. I’ve had titles recommended “because of your interest in Katy Perry: Dark Horse.” I assure you I have never in my life evinced an interest in Katy Perry anything — equine or not — but the IMDb insists otherwise. About the only time I pay any attention is when it’s a horror movie I’ve never heard of — and, yes, this usually ends badly, but occasionally it’s a happy surprise. Housebound is in that category. This is an amazing little film that manages to offer fresh — and unexpected — takes on a pretty rich collection of horror picture tropes.
I grant you it doesn’t start out all that promisingly with our main character, Kylie Bucknell, and her inept boyfriend (David Van Horn) attempting to rob an ATM. It’s this stunt that gets her sent to live on house arrest with her mother. There’s nothing wrong with any of this, it’s just that — apart from a few arbitrary musical stings — none of it looks very horrific. That soon changes once the film gets to the house and we find ourselves awash in sinister neighbors, stories of paranormal occurences, strange noises, and all the trappings. But the big difference with Housebound lies in the fact that while Kylie may be mystified and even disturbed by all this, she’s not taking any crap from anyone — real or supernatural. This — and the fact that no one is ever what they seem — is the brilliance of the movie. The film’s level of invention has not always been greeted with unconditional joy. Some have objected that it’s either too funny, or that it didn’t deliver what was expected. Both complaints seem to me to miss the whole point of the movie, since those are the very qualities that keep it from being just another haunted house picture with terrified girls in lingerie.
Housebound is the kind of movie that almost demands a second look, because it really is structured like a mystery. In a way, it’s more a mystery than a horror movie, but it’s definitely on the horrific side — and it doesn’t skimp on the scares and boasts at least one spectacular splatter effect and a gross-out gag or two. That second viewing reveals how very fairly the film plays with the audience. While its revelations are never obvious, it’s clear that we’ve been given glimpses of them all along. See it in this form before New Line Americanizes it, dumbs it down and screws it up. You won’t regret it.
The Thursday Horror Picture Show will screen Housebound Thursday, April 16, at 8 p.m. in Theater Six at The Carolina Asheville and will be hosted by Xpress movie critics Ken Hanke and Justin Souther.
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