The House with a Clock in its Walls

“I can give you the right books, teach you the right spells, but that last 1%, that's up to you.”

Filmology Rating: 2.5 out of 4

The House with the Clock in its Walls is directed by psychopath and part-time filmmaker, Eli Roth, and stars Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, and a child that Spielberg probably picked out. The film centers around Lewis, a young boy, who is sent to live with his weird uncle, Jack Black. He soon discovers magic and the mystical world of it, but not just the good, but the bad as well.

I read some pretty bad reviews for this film, but I was delighted to find that it wasn't a terrible time. I loved the first two acts, and by that, I mean that I had no critique for it. The first two acts did a wonderful job of setting up characters and introducing Lewis into the larger world of magic.

Jack Black and Cate Blanchett were the highlights, but so was the young boy, who I am not familiar with. But the best compliment you can give to a child actor is that they weren't annoying. What I loved is that every character, no matter how minor, has something to do in the story. Whether it's an emotional plot beat or a story beat, it all fit very well. Jack Black and Cate Blanchett both have wonderful backstories that compliment the underlying themes of the film.

I was surprised at the edge that Eli Roth brought to the film. He brought a more scary, sinister side to the film that may not be scary to adults, but the kind of scary for kids. He also had a cameo in the film that involved him being on TV, which I found pretty neat.

What I didn't like was the constant need for toilet humor. I get that it's a children's film, but it ruined some very sentimental scenes. And now the third act, for me, it was too much. Once the overarching plot of evil guy wants to do evil thing started, I zoned out completely. There is also some very odd social commentary on WWII that I found really out of place. Especially in a kids film. The film also had a very anticlimactic ending to the point where I didn't know if the film had ended or not. Again, it's a children's film, but I never felt that payoff in the end.

This was quite a little surprise for me and is certainly a film for all ages. This was a great kick off to the Halloween season, I would recommend seeing it for an entertaining time.

Rating: See It

-Nolan