Silent House

Open Road Films (II) | Release Date: March 9, 2012

7.8	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 123 Ratings

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MarcDoyleMar 12, 2012

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ugh! I get so tired of these movies that look frightening as hell in the trailer, with a great young actress like Elizabeth Olsen, and they turn out to be (1) boring and (2) completely B.S. (Incidentally, I was more freaked out by the usher in my theater who grabbed my shoulder asking me to take my feet of the seat in front of my than by anything in the movie). I"d love a return to "intruder" movies that involve a protagonist and an actual "bad guy", rather than realizing half way through the movie that the protagonist IS the bad guy and that she's so cracked from early-life abuse that she's actually wreaked all the havoc thus far in the movie. Oh yeah, it's a "psychological thriller", Marc. Blah! Don't buy it. Not scary, not good. I'll give it three points because Elizabeth Olsen is truly a great young actress. But the disappearing girl on the road, the toilet bleeding from the bathroom ceiling, the blood spreading on the bed - all crap. Rent a better horror movie. Don't waste your time with this sucker.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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WriteFilmLive21Nov 30, 2012

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. At best, "Silent House" is an interesting experiment of a film - a movie that's more suspense than horror, and goes for a decidedly unique approach by making the entire feature appear as a continuous shot. Although this does allow for some decent build-up and tension at first, by the second act the film gets somewhat monotous and sometimes tedious, with only Elisabeth Olsen's cleavage to maintain any engagement whatsoever.

However, anything good the movie had going for it is completely lost in the third act. Although this is delivered in a frustratingly cryptic and rather clumsy manner, the climax reveals that Olsen's character has essentially developed a dangerous psychological dichotomy, which has apparently been festering within her all this time since her father and uncle sexually abused and impregnated her as a child, then forced her to undergo an abortion. This mental scarring takes her over during the film's runtime, making her see things and hiding from her childhood demons, until in the end she finally kills her father and leaves her uncle miserably whimpering in the corner.

Personally, this took the plot just too far in the wrong direction. Horror/suspense films in which the main character is crazy are often, at best, only decent to start. But to discover, after we've spent just enough time following her about the house to become attached to her, that our lead is suffering a mental breakdown due to a tragic and horrific past is a truly depressing revelation to have to sit through, and leaves you feeling in need of a shower. There is no real triumph here - Olsen's character has not really claimed any victory, because she has not conquered her fear of her past. She has only bludgeoned to death the perpetrator of her abuse, and will likely wander off into the rest of her life as the tortured soul we've endured the presence of for the past ninety minutes. This is not a happy film, a scary film or a gripping film - it's just a bad experience.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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usranger13Jul 27, 2014

This movie has an interesting concept as the director makes the film to appear as one long cut of video. Unfortunately, the "one cut video" is the only interesting thing about this movie. The movie slowly and painfully goes from aThis movie has an interesting concept as the director makes the film to appear as one long cut of video. Unfortunately, the "one cut video" is the only interesting thing about this movie. The movie slowly and painfully goes from a supernatural/horror film to more of a psychological thriller as Elizabeth Olsen attempts to navigate a house with a seemingly never-ending supply of doors.

The movie leaves you confused until the end when everything suddenly snaps together like a puzzle with the "twist" ending. The only problem is that it's not the kind of twist ending that leaves you going "Wow! Didn't see that one coming!." It's more of a twist ending that leaves you going "What the f*** did I just sit through?"… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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TetsuoSep 30, 2012

This copies everything from the Uruguayan film La Casa Muda. It's not scary, the acting is tedious and the final act is a complete waste. Elizabeth Olsen's acting talent has been tossed aside for PG-13 style scares.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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bartcbemFeb 23, 2020

The movie consist Elizabeth Olsen making silly faces as she moves in a dark house and... ugh, yep that's it. Its one of those time wasters that you ask yourself - why was this made in the first place?

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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