House at the End of the Street-2012

Director Mark Tonderai

Starring Jennifer Lawrence

Scott’s Review #438

Reviewed July 2, 2016

Grade: B

House at the End of the Street (2012) is a perfect example of a horror/thriller film that has excellent effects and great potential, but the storytelling brings it down.

It is also a film starring Jennifer Lawrence before she became an Oscar-winning star. Her performance is adequate, and she does what she can in the lead role.

Lawrence is likable in this role and is clearly the film’s hero.

The film itself looks great. It has all of the necessary horror elements: a creepy house in the woods, darkness, and sudden scares.

The buildup in the first half is very interesting, and the audience isn’t quite sure what’s to come or what mysteries and secrets lurk in the title house.

During the final thirty minutes, however, when the twist is revealed, the film becomes predictable, by the numbers, and disappoints.

The story becomes so convoluted it hardly matters anymore.

The first half is great, but the second half fails.

I was happy to see Elisabeth Shue in this movie, as she has been out of the limelight for years; her character, though,  is quite one-dimensional.

Film summary: great-looking horror film, with mediocre writing.