The basic premise of this low budget Aussie horror film, is that a group- ranging from teenagers, to young adults- have become trapped in a known-to-be-haunted house...where they start to be killed off, one by one.
The house was the location of a triple murder-suicide, perpetrated by a serial killer, who had been chased there, while on the lam from the police, for other murders he had committed.
Effectively, the plot revolves around the fact that, after killing the family that lived there- and upon killing himself- he undertook a satanic ritual, which rendered the house a sort of portal to hell (as far as I can tell).
Fast forward to the present, with this group visiting the house; and becoming trapped in it; where they are forced to endure both torture and torment, at the hands of the dark forces, which now inhabit it.
Now, the acting isn't very good.
So I fully expected this to be much worse than it ended up being.
It takes a bit to get going.
But once it does...it's not as bad as it could have been.
Because there is some creepy gore, done with some generally competent practical effects.
With a touch of absurdity (think, along the lines of a watered down, much more mild, Evil Dead, or something).
That being said...the whole aspect of having them trapped in a windowless room, with one door, that they are allowed through one-by-one, isn't very believable.
And kind of detracts from the story, a bit, in my opinion.
Plotwise, it's actually quite similar to the film Fear (also from 2023), though, with a bit more of a Saw vibe- as opposed to The Shining (like in Fear).
The main problem with this film, is time management.
They waste way too much time with unsuccessful character development.
And not enough time with what works- the gore.
While it's never clear who, or why, the demonic characters are there...or where they came from.
Less, what you speculate.
They just have these two aspects of plot, and never present any sort of connection.
Leaving you to use your imagination to fill in the gaps.
Which isn't exactly good storytelling.
So, while definitely not the worst horror film of the year.
It's certainly down there amongst the bottom tier.
So you might want to consider opting for something better, instead of wasting your time with this.
Because...while it has it's moments.
Overall, it kind of sucks.
2.5 out of 10.
