The House with a Clock in Its Walls

Directed by: Eli Roth
Written by: Eric Kripke (screenplay), John Bellairs (based on his novel)
Cast: Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Owen Vaccaro, Kyle MacLachian, Renee Elise Goldsberry

Here comes an early family-friendly Halloween present from the master of gore Eli Roth (Hostel), and it turns out to be filled with a mix of spirited fun, light horror, and unabashed humor. It is based on John Bellairs’ popular book and more than a little reminiscent of the 2015 Goosebumps film, which also featured Jack Black. For fans of the book, you’ll find it as easy to watch, as the book was fun to read.

With a general lack of good, watchable live action films made specifically for young children, here’s one that makes the grade on any number of levels. It is set in the 1950’s and just filled with bedazzling eye candy; fanciful sets, playful furniture, living hedges, secret panels, sparking energy balls, strange machinery, living dolls, and devilish pumpkins.

Here’s The Storyline

In 1955, after losing his parents, ten-year-old Lewis Barnavelt (Vaccaro) is sent to New Zebedee, Michigan to live with his estranged uncle Jonathan (Black) in a creaky old house with a mysterious tick-tocking heart. He soon discovers that both his uncle, and his uncle’s wisecracking best friend Florence (Blanchett), are warlock and witch, deeply involved in the world of magic and sorcery. They are unquestionably the oddest couple of wizards to ever grace the screen.

The house itself is haunted by the presence of its former owner Isaac (MacLachlan), himself a powerful practitioner of the Dark Arts and Jonathan’s ex-partner, who died suddenly while conjuring an evil spell. When Lewis unintentionally raises Isaac from the dead, the young aspiring warlock must work with Jonathan and Florence to stop Isaac’s doomsday plot. In order to do that, the trio must find a mysterious clock hidden somewhere within the walls of the house.

The casting is very interesting, using Academy-Award winning actress Cate Blanchett as a foil for Jack Black’s beguiling kooky uncle turn. Together they light up the screen with a mix of silly banter and spooky spells, while MacLachlan’s character tries to darken the story with a pall of gloom and doom. It’s a really good mix of good and evil, quite suitable for children.

My take… It’s a fun kid’s film with a few mild scares and I enjoyed watching it. If you’ve been looking for a film to take the children to, here it is!