Silent House
March 12, 2012
Filed under Opinion
In this real-time single-take horror film, Sarah (Elizabeth Olsen) and her father (Adam Trese) are restoring their family's lakeside home; a creepy place where the windows are boarded up, the doors are locked, and the electricity is shut off. At the beginning of the movie, it shows Sarah's uncle helping with the restoration, but eventually leaving early due to an argument between him and Sarah's father.
When Sarah hears a knock at the door she is surprised to find Sophia, who claims to be Sarah's childhood friend although it's obvious that Sarah has no idea who she is. Sophia makes an effort to hang out with Sarah, but since there isn't cell phone service, Sophia agrees to stop by later. When Sarah goes back inside she begins to hear strange noises coming from the upstairs floors, her father agrees to check it out and Sarah follows him.
As the movie goes on it is filled with Sarah running throughout the house hiding under tables and beds while trying to escape into the outside world, even though it's harder than she thought. This film is filled with a shaky documentary-style camerawork, which adds to the suspense, making it feel like you're really running with the main character. Although Silent House is based of a true story as well as being a remake of the 2010 Uruguayan movie, The Silent House, the end of the movie offers up a strange psychological twist; that left the audience groaning in disappointment.
Critics rave that even though the ending could've been much better, Elizabeth Olsen's performance was riveting and extremely gripping just like it was in her last movie, Martha Macy May Marlene. Silent House is rated R for profanity, violent images, and horror. The movie is only 85 minutes long and supposedly shot in all one take to depict the true event. Silent House is praised on its suspense and convincing acting, but the ending may have ruined the movie for most.
