There’s Someone Inside Your House

With Halloween around the corner, slashers and thrillers are being released at their usual pace this time of year. And with Netflix keeping their promise to release a film every week, a brand new slasher has now been thrown into the mix. There’s Someone Inside Your House is a horror film directed by Patrick Kack-Brice, who has directed his fair share of horror films such as (2014) Creep and the sequel to Creep, Creep 2 released in 2017. The two films would later receive recognition and a sum of appreciation from avid horror fans. Keeping with the genre, Brice stays on track and focuses on horror by directing this new teen slasher, accompanied by a mouthful of a title, There’s Someone Inside Your House. 

The film follows Makani Young, a high school student somewhat new to a Nebraska town and the school she currently attends. Though as days start to pass, the town begins to take notice of the mysterious murders of high school students and the motives of the killer. Now Makani must dig up the past she’s tried so hard to escape from in order to potentially save her from being the next victim. 

As the film opens with an overly campy scene, it reveals all of its cards and the flaws you will find yourself noticing throughout. Flaws including strange writing, illogical decisions made by characters, and the fact that most of the cast who are playing the high school students are very noticeably older than the intended age. It’s almost distracting to have to remind yourself that these characters are indeed supposed to be in high school. Other than that, I feel that most of the cast plays their characters well considering the very weird script they were given. It’s just a shame that a majority of the film feels like an early 2000’s slasher given that the writing for these students feels unrealistic. The stereotypes made about high schoolers are laughably exaggerated, causing most moments between characters distracting to watch as it ruins the tone of the film. Along with the exaggeration, almost every action or decision made by a character makes no sense which gives off the notion that this is a slasher parody or comedy. 

Even the technical positives never fit the aesthetic of the film, for instance, the synthetic score composed by Zachary Dawes is unique and subtly powerful that would complement a more stylistic film. But the film is unfortunately so generic and predictable, it completely wipes the tension you’re meant to endure during a thriller. But writer Henry Gayden (Shazam, Earth to Echo) doubles down on the flawed writing and adds social commentary jokes which are delivered as effectively as the same writing in The Hunt (2020). It’s a remarkably mundane film to sit through since the plot is rushed, eager to get to the kills. Though, I can see why it’s rushing to the gruesome murders since every single kill contains brutally realistic practical effects done by the brilliant special effects team. Trading out CGI blood for squibs will always be a more superior method. Props to the effects team for delivering some entertaining moments to ease the lack of suspenseful writing. 

Other than some of the technical aspects that work for the film, the 96 minutes of runtime consists of less than captivating twists and turns as well as meandering direction. Brice never takes the time to develop any of the characters to their full potential, only to instead exposition dump in the span of 20 minutes and leaving you with insubstantial characters who wander around aimlessly. The weak narrative combined with the overused horror tropes makes for an underwhelming slasher made to please those who wish to leave the film in the background of a Halloween party. A shame really, since there is potential scattered throughout with its many references to other iconic slashes such as Wes Craven’s Scream (1996). 

In many ways, There’s Someone Inside Your House is a perfect example of a film depending on the concept of shock value and implementing tacky writing to pawn itself as a horror flick. It instead lacks the layered performances and gripping development to create a captivating, edge-of -your-seat experience. At no point is there a moment you feel anxiety about the protagonist’s well-being or the countless situations they have conjured up for themselves based on their imprudent decision making. It is an amusing experience watching logic and sensical thinking thrown out the window so casually, and it makes for an infuriating viewing. 

This Netflix slasher makes almost no attempt at constructing an engrossing narrative or a realistic lineup of characters to follow. It’s a messy and rushed teen horror trying to be “woke” and stay up to date with today’s political commentary to accommodate the younger audiences tuning in. Henry Gayden and Patrick Kack-Brice write and direct this years doomed slasher, by incorporating a numb screenplay and not taking the time to establish a consistent theme or tone. There’s Someone Inside Your House features entertaining practical effects and a unique score but takes multiple steps back by introducing little to no originality, and trading said originality for on the nose writing. And as the credits scroll and the cheesy montages come to an end, you will wind up wanting to be the next victim of the slasher after spending 96 minutes on this generic horror film.