The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • Tumblr

  • RSS

CultureCinemaMovie reviews

The House with a Clock in its Walls

The House with a Clock in its Walls | Movie review
4 October 2018
Jason Kerin
Jason Kerin
Avatar
Jason Kerin
4 October 2018

Movie and show review

Jason Kerin

The House with a Clock in its Walls

★★★★★

Release date

21st September 2018

Links

TwitterInstagramFacebookWebsite

Magic, mystery and the “indomitable” will of a courageous youth against a dark warlock. No, it isn’t Harry Potter, but rather The House with a Clock in its Walls, which is based on the first book (of the same name) in the bestselling young adult series by John Bellairs. The latest endeavour by Hollywood to adapt a popular novel for this particular readership into a feature-length film, the movie mostly succeeds as a favourable choice for tweens that are looking to get into “horror” genre without getting super scared by it.

After losing both of his parents, 10-year-old Lewis Barnavelt (Owen Vaccaro) is sent to live with his uncle Jonathan (Jack Black), who lives in a mysterious old house where strange oddities occur. When the boy confronts his uncle, he reveals to his nephew that he’s a warlock, and that his next-door neighbour and friend Florence Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett) is a witch – though her powers have waned due to some misfortune. However, trouble brews as the house’s former owner and warlock Isaac Izard (Kyle McLaughlin) – who died under mysterious circumstances – is about to unleash his master plan, placing an ominous doomsday clock within the house’s walls. It’s up to Lewis, Jonathan and Florence to find Isaac’s hidden clock in a “race against time” and prevent unspeakable destruction.

Directed by Eli Roth – known for his more gory and violent R-rated films like Hostel and Green Inferno – the movie has enough whimsy to make the feature approachable for its target demographic (8 to 11-year-olds) in telling a classic “coming-of-age” kid’s fantasy story, but it also delves into the horror genre, with Roth producing some PG-rated scares and thrills along the way, adding a distinct flavour to the feature’s proceedings and making a for an entertaining kid-friendly fantasy/horror picture. The film does stumble in its pacing, which seems to lag from time to time in the first two acts, but the third act snaps it all back, presenting a sort of 80s Stephen Spielberg-esque form of cinematic entertainment (the picture is also produced by Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment). Additionally, the narrative could’ve been easily expanded upon, with certain areas (i.e. character backstories and events) being glossed over.

Of the cast, Black and Blanchett give exceptionally solid performances, with the former being comfortable in the role and the latter branching out into the kid’s entertainment realm (see Cinderella and Thor: Ragnarok). Vaccaro’s performance is probably the weakest link of the main characters, his portrayal of Lewis too vague and generic to stand out from the wayward and weird protagonist archetype. Still, what he gives is enough to make for passable boy hero.

In the end, The House with a Clock in Its Walls presents something which is both a bit different and familiar whilst still managing to remain an engaging movie. It doesn’t strike a powerful resounding chord, but it’s an entertaining ride that will surely strike its target audience, particularly those looking for some “magical spooky fun”.

★★★★★

Jason Kerin

The House with a Clock in its Walls is released nationwide on 21st September 2018.

Watch the trailer for The House with a Clock in its Walls here:

Related Itemsfeaturedreview

More in Movie reviews

Jumanji: The Next Level

★★★★★
The editorial unit
Read More

The Bikes of Wrath

★★★★★
Miranda Slade
Read More

Pink Wall

★★★★★
Grace Walsh
Read More

Sons of Denmark

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

Aquarela

★★★★★
Musanna Ahmed
Read More

Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles

★★★★★
Malin Hay
Read More

Into the Mirror

Lora Maslenitsyna
Read More

The Cave

★★★★★
Mary-Catherine Harvey
Read More

The Wolf’s Call

★★★★★
Ghazaleh Golpira
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Movie and show review

Jason Kerin

The House with a Clock in its Walls

★★★★★

Release date

21st September 2018

Links

TwitterInstagramFacebookWebsite

Tickets

Theatre tickets

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Secret Cinema Presents Stranger Things: An uncanny, immersive delight
    Cinema
  • Three Sisters at the National Theatre
    Theatre
  • Five of the best Christmas afternoon teas in London
    Food & Drinks
  • IT London in Mayfair: Authentic and refined Italian dishes in a swanky restaurant
    ★★★★★
    Food & Drinks
  • The Duchess of Malfi at Almeida Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • The Ocean at the End of the Lane at the National Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • “Sting always makes me want to choreograph”: An interview with ZooNation director Kate Prince
    Theatre
  • A Kind of People at the Royal Court Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • IT London in Mayfair: Authentic and refined Italian dishes in a swanky restaurant
    ★★★★★
    Food & Drinks
  • Thriller Live at Lyric Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • The Ocean at the End of the Lane at the National Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • IT London in Mayfair: Authentic and refined Italian dishes in a swanky restaurant
    ★★★★★
    Food & Drinks
  • The Snow Queen at Park Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Three Sisters at the National Theatre
    Theatre
  • A Taste of Honey at Trafalgar Studios
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2018 FL Media Ltd

The Romanoffs premiere: On the red carpet with Matthew Weiner, Hugh Skinner and Marthe Keller
Johnny English Strikes Again: On the red carpet with David Kerr, Rowan Atkinson, Ben Miller and Olga Kurylenko