House

Christian filmmaking, while not perfect, has come a long way since the Thief in the Night movies of my youth. And thankfully, we’ve found some subject matter outside of the realm of the book of Revelation that makes for a good story as well. Recently, movies like The Ultimate Gift, Amazing Grace, and Fireproof have been making an impact at the box office, giving a bit more credence to the faith-based film venture. One of the latest to hit theaters and now store shelves is the adaptation of blockbuster Christian authors Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti’s House.

Readers of Christian fiction need no introduction to those compelling storytellers. Peretti set the bar high some years ago and Dekker has stepped up the challenge, offering up remarkably creative fare for the past several years. Both authors have seen their works recreated for the big screen, Peretti with the teen-geared Hangman’s Curse and more adult-oriented thriller The Visitation and Dekker more recently with the so-so rendering of his hit, Three. The collaboration worked well in print. So how’s it fare on film?

The result is hit and miss. The story consists of a husband and wife with marital difficulties (Reynaldo Rosales, TV’s Medium, and Heidi Dippold, HBO’s The Soprano’s) who find themselves stranded on a lonely country road. They make their way to a creepy plantation styled home in the backwoods of Alabama and meet up with another stranded couple played by Julie Ann Emery and J.P. Davis, as well as a less than friendly sheriff in Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill 2). Yet, after being there for a short time, the couples find themselves tormented by a woman even creepier than the house and her spooky son. Then the fun begins as a psychotic killer going by the moniker of the Tin Man begins knocking at the gates and all hell breaks loose for a time.

The film essentially probes the concepts behind our sin and how it haunts us, which is exactly what the house does, culling up images and thoughts and pain the individuals trapped within could only know. Some of the scenes are particularly compelling, such as Jack’s visions of watching himself choose work over taking his daughter ice skating, which ultimately leads to the young girls drowning in the lake. Randy’s visions of his past, and the tormenting words of his father, equally draw an emotive chill to the bones and up the frightful ante a bit.

Yet, and perhaps this is the most frustrating thing, the movie lacks punch. While the principles all play their roles well and deliver their lines with utmost passion, the scenes that should cause us to pull back from the screen or jump in our seats simply aren’t there. Yes, there’s some creepiness and spooky elements but there just aren’t those frightful moments that you’d expect. The question of whether or not some more content could have been included to incite such feelings hangs out there as does the question of whether or not it simply lies in the hands of the filmmaker to create such tension.

And speaking of additional content, House should not have been given an ‘R’ rating by the MPAA. While the movie is spooky and supplies its fair moments of fright, this type of film which features no cursing and, to my recollection, no blood or gore, simply doesn’t warrant such an adult rating. While I don’t think my six-year-old is quite ready for it, it’s nothing a twelve or thirteen-year-old would be shocked by, particularly in this day and age.

House is clearly a step up from much of what’s been created in the realm of Christian moviemaking in the past. The production levels are pretty solid, the actors are getting much better, and the storyline holds strong for the most part. While it’s clearly not as good as the book, the film is not bad. And, I’m hoping that with creative minds like Dekker and Peretti at the helm, things will just keep getting better and better.

Tagged as: Frank Peretti, House, Ted Dekker

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