Synopsis: Sarah (Elizabeth Olsen) hears noises while renovating her family's old summer home. She soon finds out she is not alone.
Wow. I was first drawn to this movie upon seeing the trailer during the mediocre film The Woman in Black starring Harry Potter. The trailer enticed me with its promise of terror and its sole star, Elizabeth Olsen. I first saw Olsen (younger sister to the Olsen twins) in 2011's Martha Marcy May Marlene. Blown away by her performance in that film, and by the fact that she's the forgotten sister of Mary-Kate & Ashley, I was intrigued by Silent House's trailer as a fan of horror films and as a new fan of Elizabeth Olsen.
Also, if that didn't get me to see this film, the fact that the film is one take definitely got me into the theater. That's right: One. Single. Take. Although I was initially dubious of this statement in the trailer, I was not disappointed upon seeing the film. According to some reviewers, the film relied too much on this "gimmick," but I found that it highlighted Olsen's acting ability (she is completely terrified for 80 minutes and makes you feel her terror) and enhanced the viewing experience.
I saw this film at midnight (as all horror movies should be seen), and proceeded to be terrified for at least 60 minutes. The trailer promises "88 minutes of terror" and it is at least half right; personally, I found the denouement to be obvious, overused, and somewhat cheap. However, the majority of the film makes up for its somewhat disappointing climax.
At many points in the film, I felt as though I was in the house with Sarah, the main character of the film. The theater's sound system allowed for creaks and noises in the house to be heard behind you, allowing for a new type of theater experience. This film did not need fancy 3-D effects to make you empathize with the main character, for the sound effects of the film and Olsen's performance make you feel as though you are as much a victim as Sarah is.
Overall, Silent House does not disappoint in regards to acting, terror, and a thoroughly intense theater experience, but the film falls short in terms of plot. However, if you are looking to get freaked out for a day or so, I highly recommend this film.
-SM
P.S. For those of you who were freaked out for weeks by Paranormal Activity 3's "let's-put-a-camera-on-an-oscillating-fan" technique, there is a scene in SH involving a Polaroid Camera... I shall say no more.
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