Review of The House of the Devil (2009) by Timothy S — 07 Aug 2013

The first feature that I saw from up-and-coming director Ti West was "Cabin Fever 2", an unimaginative direct-to-video sequel that could have been directed by anyone with no experience behind the camera. And even though the finished product is flawed, West has grown into a filmmaker with great potential with his follow-up, called "The House of the Devil".

The first thing that grabs you about the film, and really the best thing about it, is the retro feel. West clearly has a love of horror films from the 1970's, and he has gone to great lengths to painstakingly recreate that with this picture. From the noticeable touches, like the opening credits, to the more subtle ones like the lack of cell phones and the fact that it was shot on 16mm film, this looks great. It takes you back to another time and place, so much so that you have to constantly remind yourself that this is a modern movie.

The pacing is slow, yet another throwback to that earlier era it emulates so much, and while I always appreciate a good build-up, that really only works if the payoff is satisfying. That's where the picture stumbles a bit. The conclusion is fairly ordinary, and leaves a number of unanswered questions. The cult headed by creepy Tom Noonan and Mary Woronov is vague, having something to do with the impending lunar eclipse but it's never really explained.

There are some nifty twists, but the last one comes out of left field and begs for an explanation. A major talent has been introduced with "The House of the Devil", and I can't wait to see what he does next. There's so much potential here, and unfortunately, a lot of it is left unrealized.