Housebound (2014)

Placed under house arrest, a bitter young woman has trouble convincing others that an intruder or ghostly presence is responsible for mysterious goings-on at her home in this mix of horror, comedy and mystery elements from New Zealand. The film benefits from a superb turn by Rima Te Wiata as the protagonist's superstitious mother who has always believed that her house is haunted but who is more perturbed by her daughter's antisocial behaviour. Glen-Paul Waru has some fun moments too as a local law enforcement officer who believes in the paranormal. The overall film though is less impressive. One of the biggest issues is the frequent genre hopping. The movie jumps between mystery, thriller, horror and comedy mode without ever smoothly blending these elements. Some sections are deadly serious while others are uncannily comedic (fending off a killer with a xylophone) with little consistency throughout. The biggest drawback though is the fact that the film's protagonist is utterly obnoxious. She is such an angry, moody, ungrateful young woman that it is hard to care what happens to her. There are, however, some fun psychobabble moments late in the piece with her shrink suggesting that all the horror is merely in her mind. The house set design is great too, but overall it is hard to watch this film without recalling how much better 'Disturbia' did its similar premise.

Kylie Bucknell is a troubled girl in New Zealand. She gets arrested for trying to break into an ATM. She is sentenced to house arrest and forced to move back in with her mother Miriam. Miriam suspects the house is haunted. Strange things start to happen. Amos sets up her ankle bracelet and is a paranormal enthusiast. Dennis is the psychologist assigned to her case.There are surprising moments of light humor in this odd little horror. It's not particularly scary. It has a bit of fun like the Cornetto Trilogy. The lead character is not necessarily a nice girl but she still maintains some rooting interest. The story doesn't completely hold together but the last act has plenty of fun.

Is it scary? No not really, nothing that hasn't been done. The acting is mediocre and the main characters have no redeeming qualities. It's hard to connect with a spoiled apathetic brat. Ten minutes into the movie I was hoping she would die violently. I don't much care for the parents either. I honestly spent the entire movie hoping the evil wins and they all die terribly.There is far better suspense/horror movies out there. Sure there are far worse ones too but I wouldn't waist your time with a clichéd horror movie that can't even give you characters you can care about. I give it a three out of ten for not being that scary, mediocre acting and story.

First time ever watching a movie from this provenance. I know not where this land is nor do I really care, but what I do care is who is this truly beautifully wacked out super cool tuff yet delicate thespian and will so ever come to Hollywood or will Hollywood go to her, do not know enough about this lady's personage to know such things, but one thing we are all definitely certain about, surely we the cinephiles of true seminal cinema fun, we will bear our way over to her, upon contact be transfigured, with one fixed look transcend, and to experience her work will transport us! Yes, 'Housebound' what a truly delightful trip into some really pulp and juicy down Under film bazaar! (I'm guessing 'Housebound' team hail from the South somewhere) At all events I loved every second, I kept stumbling along thinking this guy is bad, no, this guy, until finally the real bad thing turned into a third act super extravaganza which upon the whole tramped and stamped and treaded all over me, and once again, I loved every second of the ending as well! I may be projecting but with yet the stellar acting skills could she possibly have descended from Deniro? (Think of the scene when she first gets to her mom's house and is outside smoking, and in slow motion we see those eyes, those magical eyes from whose pools of blood reflect back to us the great many scenes Deniro and Pesci had together! Who knows, but she definitely has a perspicacious propinquity to stardom!