Released: 2018
Starring: Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Owen Vaccaro, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Sunny Suljic, Kyle MacLachlan
Director: Eli Roth
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Rated: PG (UK – 12A)
“This house knows what makes you tick.”
Gotta make a little disclaimer about this movie review: I have not read the book on which this movie is based. I know nothing about the characters, story, or any differences between the book and the film. However, after watching The House with a Clock in Its Walls, I will be reading the source material soon. With that out of the way, on with my report!
The House with a Clock in Its Walls stars Owen Vaccaro (Daddy’s Home, Daddy’s Home 2) as ten-year-old Lewis Barnavelt who, after the passing of his parents in an accident, goes to live with his estranged, eccentric Uncle Jonathan (Jack Black; School of Rock, Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny). However, Lewis quickly discovers that there is something more to his uncle than simply being eccentric. He is, in fact, a warlock (albeit a fairly mediocre one) who lives in a house filled with clocks and magic. Lewis begins to learn magic from his Uncle as well as their neighbor and fellow witch, Florence Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett; The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Thor: Ragnarok). Something sinister is stirring in the house, however. There is a clock ticking in the walls that was left by the house’s previous owner, a powerful, evil warlock named Isaac Izard (Kyle MacLachlan; Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet). With the help of Mrs. Zimmerman, Jonathan and Lewis must find the clock before it ticks down to doom.
Right off the bat, I have to give the films’ cast praise as their performances were all great. Jack Black pulled back a little on his usual over-the-top brand of comedy and found a great balance of quirkiness, caring, and drama when it was needed. Cate Blanchett as Florence Zimmerman was ideal. A performance that brings to mind Mary Poppins with a bit more edge when dealing with Jonathan, as well as a tragedy that develops the character. Of course, the performance of Owen Vaccaro cannot be overlooked. The character of Lewis is able to reach out to every child who has suffered a tragedy or felt like an outcast, and that is in no small part thanks to Owen’s ability to show a wide range of emotion from excitement to fear, want, and sadness to bravery. I can’t think of a single cast members performance as a detriment to the film. Bravo to them all.
With a plot that centers around magic, you know in this day and age there is going to be C.G.I. So how does The House with a Clock in Its Walls’ C.G.I. fair? Actually, pretty good. There is quite a bit of it throughout the movie, and it rarely looks cartoony or out of place. Magical creatures (including a moving, living chair and a griffin make of plants), spells, and environment alterations all look “natural” and top notch. There is one moment toward the end of the film where this falters greatly though, but I can’t really talk about it without spoiling a part of the movie. However, you will know it when you see it and will wonder why it is in the movie. Other than that, the magic effects help pull you into the film rather than jarring you out of it.
The story has a lot to it, and they did seem to cram it in to fit the one hour and forty-five minute time they had. I felt some characters and plot points needed to be expanded on a bit more, but I could see the difficulty in doing that and not having a three-hour movie. That being said, the overall plot is complete and doesn’t seem too rushed. The House with a Clock in Its Walls may not live up to its full potential, but it uses every minute of its time to keep its audience engaged. Adding more, would only enhance the film rather than detract.
There are some things that I felt were not needed in the movie, the poop and pee jokes. There are at least three of these moments and they really were not needed at all. From the eyes of an adult, these were kind of dumb and not in a humorous way. They did not add anything to the film and their removal would have probably improved it. However, after the movie, I thought about the films’ target audience of children and teens and those moments would probably bring some laughs for them. So as an adult, The House with a Clock in Its Walls could easily go without the toilet humor, but as a child, there is probably some laughs there.
And speaking of the films’ target audience, this movie actually has some scary moments. While they won’t be giving me any nightmares, for very young children there may be a few moments involving mannequins, or zombies, or cemeteries that may need hands in front of eyes. I didn’t pick up on these right away while watching, but a mother with a young child who happened to be sitting behind us had to walk outside for a bit when one of these moments came up. Parents with young or maybe sensitive children, be prepared for a couple scares. Everyone else, enjoy!
The House with a Clock in Its Walls is a good showing for director Eli Roth as his first non-R rated film. A great family-friendly, fantasy movie with a great cast. I know there are more books in the series that is this film’s source material and I wouldn’t mind seeing more of them adapted into future movies. However, if this film were it, I would be content. It’s ending is solid and doesn’t need to be continued, but can be. That is a good way to make a movie. Leave it open to sequels, but make it able to stand alone. I am glad I was able to see this in theaters and can’t wait to add to this review when I buy the Blu-Ray when it comes out!
Rating:
Jack Savage:
With a plot that involves magic in the real world versus magic in a magic world a la Harry Potter (you know that comparison is being made) this movie is charming, engaging, and fun. A good film for kids and entertaining for adults. Worth the ticket price!
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