People is a bizarre fairy tale that never loses its sly intelligence even when fulfilling its gross-out quota.
67
Austin ChronicleMarjorie Baumgarten
Austin ChronicleMarjorie Baumgarten
While The People Under the Stairs may leave some horror fans unsatisfied and other horror detractors repulsed, it ought to satisfy those viewers who appreciate a thoughtful and visceral movie entertainment.
A pretense of social responsibility and most of the necessary tension get lost in a combination of excessive gore and over-the-top perfs in The People Under the Stairs.
30
Washington PostRichard Harrington
Washington PostRichard Harrington
Craven also wrote the script here, based on a news story about California parents who kept their children locked in the basement for many years. That's scary -- and so is how far Craven has fallen.
25
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
If there were truth in advertising, The People Under the Stairs would be called The Not Very Scary Movie Set Inside a Grungy, Badly Lit House.
25
TV Guide Magazine
TV Guide Magazine
The People Under The Stairs doesn't play like a fairy tale; there's nothing fantastic about it, and the happy ending, in which money seems to equal happiness, rings terribly false.