HIS HOUSE (REVIEW)

Dir. Remi Weekes

Reviewer. Martyn Wakefield

This 2020 film has so far never reached the highs it deserves and has settled like its protagonists into muddy waters and forgotten by society. With the return of the fantastic GANGS OF LONDON, we take a look back at Sope Dirisu's successful foray into horror.

A refugee couple arrive in England hoping to start a new life but after being settled into a suburban nightmare, their own truths begin to haunt them.

Beneath its Barker-esque ghosts and sense of dread, there's a refreshingly heartfelt level of humanity that borders the line of good and bad in a way we rarely see outside of Guillermo Del Toro's works. As the haunting of their new home escalate, as too does the tension between Bop and Rial with both Dirisu and Wunmi Mosaku (LOKI, LOVECRAFT COUNTRY) giving some of the best performances in recent film. Accompanied by man of the hour Matt Smith, there is no denying this cast is one of the best ensembles of this generation.

The themes of desperation and the pleasantries of simple things is delved into quite deeply as the pair learn that life in less turbulent lands is both alien and discomforting but furthermore expresses that in familiarity, they can accustom. Where HIS HOUSE really becomes it's own is by exploring how they became present in England and the cost of what it took to get here. Director Remi Weekes tells a really human story and one that shows that not all is as it appears questioning the very fabric of the house they now reside.

Like HELLRAISER, UNDER THE SKIN and THE DESCENT, HIS HOUSE is British film making at it's best and really grinds the motion between British culture and global storytelling to showcase how great soulful storytelling and horror are crafted so brilliantly.

The biggest crime is that HIS HOUSE is leaving the platform on 29th October so time is running out to stream this gem.