MOVIE REVIEW: Silent House Should Have Said A Little Bit Less

"Silent House" starts out as a fun, smart, enjoyable horror flick that brings on the chills and thrills, but is ruined by an unsatisfying third act that will probably leave a bad taste in your mouth. Shot to resemble one continuous take, its semblance to low-budget fare and use of setting is charming, boosted by excellent performances from the players.

Of course, the main burden falls on leading lady Elizabeth Olsen, fresh from her stunning turn in Martha Marcy May Marlene, and she rises to the challenge beautifully. Olsen plays another vulnerable heroine named Sarah who has returned to her remote childhood home with her father and uncle in order to get it fixed up and sold.

After her father and uncle fight, the uncle drives off, leaving Sarah and her father alone in an appropriately creepy yet naturalistic setting. There is no electricity and the windows are boarded up, so the house remains shrouded in darkness, even while the full light of day happily shines outside. Those inside rely on candles and lanterns just to see where they're going.

When Sarah discovers her father beaten and unconscious, she must try to find her way out of the house in order to get help. Olsen makes Sarah into a capable and determined, yet realistic heroine who pulls you into the terror of the situation as she tries to evade her unknown assailant. (As for the men, rest assured that the movie makes full use of her...err...assets.)

As mentioned above, the movie makes excellent use of suspense to build terror without the usual explosion of special effects and gore, and the movie's low-budget look adds to its gritty realism.

But again, the third act ruins it. The big twist and the issues it raises certainly don't belong in a movie like this. If it had just been a simple monster movie, it would've been excellent. But nowadays every horror and/or suspense film has to have a twist, and it's become beyond overused. Silent House should have stuck to what it knew, since it knew what to do so well. Instead it thinks it's more than it is and overreaches.

REVIEWER RATING: C+