Review: 'House at the End of the Street' - Lifelessly Executed

I guarantee you've seen House at the End of the Street before. A different title might appear on the screen, but it's the same film, no less. The generic premise centers on one young woman named Alissa (Jennifer Lawrence, Hunger Games; X-Men: First Class) who moves on in a rather secluded house down the woods. In stories like this, a house beholds horrendous murders and ugly past, which is something in here, too. Alissa meets the awkward, bug-eyed introvert Ryan (Max Thieriot, My Soul To Take), next of kin to the victims of the massacre - his parents. Notwithstanding the fact that this man might share the same delirium as his murderous sister Carrie Anne had, Alissa idiotically builds some rapport with Ryan, or so the hackneyed script commands her to.

Unfortunately, originality and the lackluster of, is not the only issue here. As we journey along the horror cliches that were practically compiled to make a money-making feature, we are further insulted with the film's agonizingly poor execution and clumsy camerawork. Mark Tonderai, an obvious Hitchcockian, in lieu of utilizing the mastery of framing that Hitchcock was quite known for, he manufactures these incredibly awful shots that range from dizzying to loathing. Tonderai's camerawork often show Lawrence, having that unusual double-chin that doesn't help the actor to look good on screen.

The tension is tepid and it doesn't exactly aid the movie's lack of real scares. Bereft, one may replace my term. But is it really a surprise? Scribe David Loucka has written a story amply boresome, if not technically tedious (He made the pain Dream House starring Daniel Craig, need I say more?), but improvement holds some room in it. Good thing that Lawrence is here to at least make the movie watchable, enough to journey you through the brisk slasher. Lawrence and Elisabeth Shue's (as Alissa's workaholic mother) chemistry is striking, but in respect of their characters's relationship, it may benefit from a far better execution. Thieriot is serviceable in this film.

Bland, dull, boring. One mystery that solely interests me is Jennifer Lawrence being in this film. Why, and how? Silver Linings Playbook and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire shall compensate me for going through this film, shall they not?

VERDICT: D