The Open House (Netflix)

Cover photo courtesy of Netflix

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Before I get started, I’d like to warn you there’s going to be some spoilers! Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Photo courtesy of Netflix

Alright, today a horror/ thriller got released on Netflix, The Open House. If you like cheap jump scares, this is definitely for you. However, don’t expect the movie, to make a lot of sense.

The Open House Trailer

As it opens, we see a “regular” family,

Mother, father, teenage kid

Logan (son) |Naomi (Mom)

Photo courtesy of IMDB

(The Dad)

Photo courtesy of IMDB

who they are and what they do apparently doesn’t matter. Other than that the kid runs track or whatever he does.

After some brief dialogue; the father and son jump in the car to hit the store. Awaiting the story to build, we travel along, Logan (son) stay in the car while his dad runs inside. All run of the mill stuff, but it doesn’t take long for that to change.

Upon exiting the store, the father gets killed by a car, sandwiched between a car and an industrial garbage can. After all without this, how can the story continue? Through the grief, a family member (sister/aunt) offers to lend thier mountain home. Under the condition; they leave during the open house hours.

Okay, real quick sidebar. Maybe because I’m not rich I don’t get it. The house I live in, has been up for sale for a few years now, I’d never leave a realtor and a handful of strangers, to thier own devices, in a place where I still live, fuck that noise. Don’t get me wrong, they have space to look around, anything of value is put away. if anyone did think of stealing they’d probably leave something.

Enough of my mouth back to the movie:

They decided to go up to the house. Quickly odd things start to happen; on the way up they have a near miss, almost running over a shadowy figure on the road. With no second thought they continue the trip to the house.

Once there things get moved, doors “close” on thier own, and the water heater starts acting up. I’ll give you three guesses where the water heater is, and the the first two don’t count..as always the basement.

Which apparently, is important because it’s where key points, to the movie take place.

Throughout the movie, Lucas (the kid) keeps hearing noise, but for some reason keeps it to himself! Dummy. By the time the mom hears it, it’s too late.

The few other people, in this movie are just strange man. An older women with altimeter’s deasie, and of course, the one black dude, that dies in every movie. These people are very forgettable, I only bring them up because they are needed to continue.

After some time, the 2nd open house sets the tone for the ending of this event. After getting a call, someone had broken into the house they run inside. What do they find?

The table set for three with the phone (landline) set out. After a prank call they call the police, who are reluctant to do much of anything. In this helpless moment, they call Chris (the black dude). Who they’ve met only twice, but because it’s a movie he offers to help and stay the night. Too bad for him, he won’t see morning he gets his throat slit.

Logan runs outside, to see what the noise is about; only to get knocked out, then covered in water or gas it’s not very clear, regaurdless he’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

Now we go back inside where the mom is asleep. The culprit, responsible for all this decided to get in bed with her. Gross. She oblivious to this takes way too long to notice. However, once she does, it’s party time.

The killer ties her hands together, then breaks her fingers one by one.

Not necessarily needed but I get it, they pay to watch make em’ squirm.

A Little blood, torture and scene!

It’s funny, how Logan runs for a hobby and it will do him no good at all. His mom, screaming for him wakes him up; confused he now sees Chris in the driver seat of the car dead..still. The back tire has been slashed and a knife conveniently placed next to him (Logan) runs to his mom to help and unties her.

For some reason the killer, seems to make the murder look like a set up, not sure why that would be.

Skipping over the filler, they are now where? You guessed it the basement.

Up to this point, it’s been clear Logan can’t see well with out glasses or contacts.

Pitch dark, the end is near for our main characters. I should mention that, Logan got his contacts taken out by the killer. Now pretty much half blind, Logan stumbles around the basement looking for his mom; what I find odd, is they don’t know the way around. You’d think they’d make sure to be familiar with the area but that’s crazy talk.

With a small knife in hand, blade out Logan winds up stabbing his mom in the stomach. Leaving her to die, he gets out of the house; with assistance from the killer by being tossed out the door.

Running through the woods in the dead of night, he hears footsteps. Hiding behind rocks the camera pans up; to see not the killer but the altimeter’s neighbor. He doesn’t bother to look around to see, assuming it’s the killer so he continues to run.

Ending up at a water stream, he grabs a drink because you know, he’s got time for that. Soon enough, the killer not making a sound; grabs him and kills him..somehow but we don’t see how it’s done. Showing the carnage the next morning; we then see a bronco, traveling towards another open house. That’s the movie in a nutshell.

Now don’t get me wrong, the concept is certainly disturbing. What bothers me; with a little awareness this all could have been avoided.

The killer

Photo courtesy of IMDB

The other issue I take with this is simple. We never see the killers face clearly, just the boots he’s wearing. It’s almost like, they took a page from Wilson’s book; the character from home improvement, who’s face was covered by Tim Allen’s fence. This idea just the opposite end.

(Wilson- home improvement)

Photo courtesy of ranker

Besides that there’s no resolve, for the family or follow up about killings or the town.

It definitely could’ve been written better, but it is something to watch; if you don’t have much else to do. Having said that, I wouldn’t discourage any of you from checking it out, just was a little cheap for me.