Another review, another found footage movie. This time it's a movie about one of those houses that people turn into Halloween attractions. This isn't that common in my part of the world but apparently its a big money spinner in America. People come to these "haunted" houses to experience scares within a safe environment. Whilst the people who came to visit Hell House got more than they bargained for can the same be said for the viewers of this movie? In short, yes.
Hell House follows the narrative of the found footage movie without deviation, but whereas a lot of found footage movies stumble along the way this is not the case with Hell House. We join the movie as the team behind Hell House, friends and employees, travel to see their new project. The building in question is not a house but an old Hotel that has fallen into disrepair. The Hotel is the Abaddon and over the course of the next few weeks we follow the events that transpire.
Like seemingly every found footage there are tensions within the group. So when supernatural events start to happen rather than addressing the issue the group start to turn on each other. When they start to sleep overnight in the hotel things really start to get creepy. Clown mannequins seemingly turn their heads and move around. One man awakens to find a ghostly apparition in his room and hiding under his bed clothes is probably not goimg to work. Eventually, it is opening night, and then the chaos starts. Will anyone survive?
The movie it is true does nothing new, it follows a familiar path, with a slight variation on the hunted house plot, that being it is a hotel. What the movie does do well is the pacing and build up. Some found footage movies have a build up that last virtually the whole movie with only a brief conclusion. Hell House has build up in stages, bit by bit it ratchets up the events, and the creepiness, until the final chaotic ending, followed by a twist.
The acting is generally of a very good standard. The dialogue is believable and the scares are simple yet well executed. This is not a move that will scare, it is a movie that will creep you out. The plot is familiar, but it is coherent. I really am impressed with this movie and looking forward to the sequel.
It really is one of the better found footage movies.
7 out of 10 (watch it!)