Silent House Review

26th Sep 2012

Remake of a Uruguayan horror Silent House is a member of the ‘haunted-house-with-a-twist’ sub-genre. This American version follows not only its predecessor’s basic plot, but also its unusual conceit: it is filmed (or more accurately, edited) to resemble a single-take. It’s an interesting concept – most famously used in Hitchcock’s The Rope – that has mixed results here.

Sarah is helping her father and uncle repair a family lake house that has no electricity and seems to have been subjected to the messy whims of squatters. But the darkness is hiding more than a serious mould problem and Sarah has plenty to contend with as night draws in.

Staying with her throughout the film, the camera tracks Sarah through the house as the sudden disappearance of her father kicks off the scares. Accompanied by a surprisingly understated range of mysterious noises, she searches for a way out, while trying to avoid strange figures wandering the dim Victorian halls. Sarah is chasing ghosts in more ways than one, eventually revealing how fractured her life has become during the film’s unsettling dénouement.

There is an admirable creepiness to the house and an atmosphere that is not explained purely by the darkness. The restrained score and the gloomy rooms are very effective and Olsen does excellently; from fine to shit-scared in a matter of seconds. And we are right behind her. Her vulnerability seems genuine and definitely ramps up the unease. Her breathy sobbing, which may be a little annoying, eventually gives way to a steely core that more than makes up for her being a tad too heavy on the whimpers.

As you would expect, it’s not perfect. The decision to mimic the ‘one take’ of the original is not 100% successful. Portions do drag. It’s actually surprising how long it takes people to do quick little tasks, and the mere fact that you notice the long shot affectation show it’s not perfect. It would also have fallen flat on its ass had it not been for the more than capable leading performance from Elizabeth Olsen as the camera’s principal object. A dodgy leading lady who never leaves the shot would make it one hell of a hard watch. The slow reveal of the disturbing trigger for the events may be a little obvious too early in the film, and on second watch, it is absolutely obvious – full of loaded questions and heavy-handed hints. Even for all that, it’s still a damn creepy, chilling film and worth a good four stars. Looking forward to watching its predecessor.