The DVD for “Fear House” uses Tony Bernardini’s blurb from “Horror Theater Video” where he states that the film is part “Phantasm,” “Evil Dead” and “Black Christmas.” That is a fairly inaccurate statement … unless Bernardini meant that it’s an independent horror film which takes place in a house. If that’s the case, he’s exactly right.
The plot involves a writer (Aleece Jones) who has isolated herself in a creepy dwelling while finishing her next novel. When her friends and brother (Matthew Stiller) come to get her, they discover a place that plays on their fears … or so they think. Is it fake? Cursed? Haunted? Only the screenwriter will tell.
The film is fairly imaginative in its twists. Unfortunately, it lacks scares and emotion, both of which are essential to a haunted house film. The characters are also forgettable, and the plot often fails to hold one’s interest. All of this results in a movie that feels somewhat rushed and a little predictable, yet offers hope for writer/director Michael B. Morris’ next outing.
