His House (2020): A horror or reality? The review.

Bol and Rial Majur.

Photo credits: Aidan Monaghan

Making its debut on Netflix tomorrow (30th October) and just in time for the Halloween weekend, His house is the new British horror that renovates the perception of the horror genre we all know. In merging the themes of spiritual beings, curses, trauma, and reality, this film is one to watch!

Written and directed by British newbie Remi Weekes, and staring Wunmi Mosaku (Rial Majur), known for her role in “Lovecraft Country” (read my review here) and Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù (Bol Majur) who starred in “Gangs of London,”  this film follows the journey of a couple from war-torn South Sudan seeking refuge in England for a better life and safety… or so they think!

With early access courtesy of @bouncecinema and Netflix film, I was able to watch it last night, and let me tell you now; there were some real jump scare moments!

This is an interesting film, and it’s not like any horror you’ve seen before! It’s refreshing seeing a horror based in the UK, though its exact location isn’t made clear. Starting with the couples’ journey overseas in which they sadly lost their daughter, Bol and Rial are “released” from their detention cells and are free to live in the community.

I use the term ‘free’ very loosely since this release comes with stringent conditions. The couple must live on the weekly allowance of £74 (for both of them), report back weekly, and be “good people,” with work, relocation, and more forbidden. It is made clear that they are only released as asylum seekers and if they break these requirements they will be sent back.

Documenting the immigrant journey through horror - perhaps the closet genre to present the real-life crisis often swept under the carpet - His house forces us to see life outside of our bubble and submerges us into the reality of life, death and fear. As Weekes sheds light on the cruel system that punishes those who have suffered the most, he ensures the inclusions of intricate details to enhance our experience of the dehumanising of the asylum journey.

“as long as you can get along, fit in, be good people”

Introduced to their new life by housing officer (Matt Smith), Bol and Rial are welcomed to their “palace” - a worn-down house in a white neighbourhood where neighbours stare unwelcomely… Bol and Rial are expected to embrace their house in its entirety and are “lucky” to be the only occupants. What seems like a promising start for a couple who have survived turmoil, becomes a house of terrors, past trauma, and no escape. With the decision between staying and facing their demons or risk being deported back to the life they fled, unlike other horrors, this film gives an answer to why they can’t “just leave” their haunted house.

Photo Credits: Aiden

In this carefully layered film wrapped within the genres of horror presented to us, the real horror lies in someone’s reality, and that reality is something that is very much real today.

I’d be lying if I said this film didn’t have me shaken from the start! It didn’t help that I watched this alone and I’m not embarrassed to say that I was jumping and hiding from the screen less than 20 minutes in.* Sigh * I remember saying “NOPE!” about a million times because it’s not me playing with such darkness! The beginning scenes had me talking to the screen begging the characters not to look or investigate (why do they always have to investigate in horror films? My blood pressure cannot deallll!) and I definitely muttered a few swear words in the process. I’m not a wimp I promise… maybe a little!

I slyly envy those of you that will have the ability to pause the screen because I wasn’t able to during the screening, and with the build-up and tension, the film made me so on edge within the first 10 minutes that I didn’t know if I’d be able to hack the rest of the film ( since I’m being honest). In fact, I found out later that a friend who also watched the screening did tap out and missed the rest of the film! Don’t be like her… I promise you, if I can hack it, you most certainly can too!

After stomaching the demonic spirits, witches, and creepy things at night that the first half of the film had to offer, there was a shift in tone as the film started to merge themes together. I quite liked this approach as we are constantly transported to parts of their past experiences but it isn’t always clear what is real and what isn't as it flirts between imagination/dreamworld and trauma (particularly the effects of PTSD). At points, you start to lose a sense of what’s happening and who to trust and in a way, this mirrors that of the characters who don’t know who to trust in society, if things are real and whether to trust each other.

“it says… I should be afraid of you”

Trapped between four walls the couple’s loyalty is tested in more ways than one. The merging of familiarity with foreign land makes decision-making very difficult as they try to decipher what is in their head to remain sane and level-headed. In the outside world, the couple face discrimination and displacement. There are no allies - black or white - and though there is a willingness to “fit in”, as foreigners, they will always be viewed as second-class citizens.

This narrative is pushed throughout the film as they are constantly reminded that they have a “bigger house than mine.” It is comments like this that gaslight their very feelings of entrapment and limitation as they are forced to be grateful for the scraps thrown at them. Perhaps this is a critique of the current system in that those who are dependent feel scared to ask for basic human essentials when the problems supersede the handouts for the fear of looking ungrateful. The repetition of “we are the good ones” reinforces the constant need to be accepted and validated by society.

What I love the most about how Weekes has written this is that he highlights the misguided assumption on both sides of the spectrum… on one side, there is the assumption that life will be better, and for the other, (our shielded perception), that we offer a better quality of life. This challenges the assumed notion that asylum seekers are lazy and leech-like since even if they wanted to, the restrictions mean they have no stimulating purpose or option to give back.

Hopefully, this film allows people to show empathy to those who have survived the traumas to get here and opens the conversation for the real horror that plagues the asylum journey.

If you like a horror film with jump-worthy moments this weekend then this is film is for you! Let me know what you think of the film and I'd advise you to watch it with company!

Running time, 93 mins.

I’ve given this film a good 8/10!

Enjoy!

Liz x