I enjoyed this instalment. Even though the story model remains more or less the same as the others, the tension and unnerving feelings managed to be effectively executed. I only have one gripe which was the main character was insufferable from beginning to end. I don't know why the screenwriter felt the need to make Margot obnoxious, arrogant, pig-headed, fundamentally unlikable and self-interested, especially seen as how we are supposed to be empathising with her the most, but it created a real divide between my willingness to root for her and my contempt towards her. The girlfriend and brother were likeable enough and I was on their sides when they were faced with conflict. But the lead was painful for me (the character not the actress). If they had written her differently I think I would've enjoyed this so much more. Regardless, as horror goes, this film produced enough sufficient scares to justify its existence.
85 Reviews
Not as good as the original, way better than the other sequels
XyloJW31 October 2023
I loved the original Hell House: great scares, reasonable characters, great premise. The other sequels lacked all of that.
This one delivers on the great scares. Great tension, effective use of jumpscares. The premise and characters are okay here. Not great but not egregious. There's a couple eye-roll moments where they try too hard to tie it into the original (the music now has lyrics? What?).
It sounds like I'm really down on it when all I have good to say about it is the scares, but really, the directing is great at ratcheting up the tension and then hitting you with a solid moment of horror.
I'm knocking a half point off though for the very last scene before the credits, which felt like a weird retcon that didn't need to be in the movie at all.
This one delivers on the great scares. Great tension, effective use of jumpscares. The premise and characters are okay here. Not great but not egregious. There's a couple eye-roll moments where they try too hard to tie it into the original (the music now has lyrics? What?).
It sounds like I'm really down on it when all I have good to say about it is the scares, but really, the directing is great at ratcheting up the tension and then hitting you with a solid moment of horror.
I'm knocking a half point off though for the very last scene before the credits, which felt like a weird retcon that didn't need to be in the movie at all.
It could have been so much better
scurryizzo30 October 2023
Warning: Spoilers
First off I LOVED the first three movies, truly. This one just wasn't it for me. The lead that played Margot was insufferable and fell into that horror movie trope of the selfish "protagonist" who disregards everyone else's feelings and (justified) absolute terror and hysterics, and just yells "wait! Stop! Just listen! Ok, we will as soon as ___". As least with the original group led by Alex there was some explanation why people had a sense of duty to stay, some larger objective, even in the following movies the motives made sense (as far as that can go in a horror movie). In this she just felt like a bully that yelled louder and louder, or made false promises, until her girlfriend did what she wanted (points to the Rebecca character for trying to nope out of there asap but...love I guess?).
The backstory with Patrick didn't add a whole lot until (I guess?) The end, and the loose connection to Margot felt like an afterthought. This movie felt like a sequel in that there was a deviation from a central storyline and too many side plots that just didn't come together.
I'm actually really bummed about this, the Hell House trilogy is one I wish I could experience for the first time over and over, and this was just disappointing.
The backstory with Patrick didn't add a whole lot until (I guess?) The end, and the loose connection to Margot felt like an afterthought. This movie felt like a sequel in that there was a deviation from a central storyline and too many side plots that just didn't come together.
I'm actually really bummed about this, the Hell House trilogy is one I wish I could experience for the first time over and over, and this was just disappointing.
Better than the last two
ThaNuggetMan1 November 2023
The first hell house is enjoyable because it's kind of a hidden gem that's just recently gained more popularity. It had a lot of ambiguity in the story and left a pretty open ended story. The acting in part one is pretty good as well. Then we get to parts 2 and 3...
Those movies feel cheap. Much cheaper and just seemed to be feeding off the success of the first one. The acting is horrible in both, the news anchor is part 2 is laughably bad. Part 3 is more of the same. Neither one adds much to the story either.
This movie has much better acting and cinematography than the previous two. It feels like this one was made to actually further the story, not just as a cash grab. This movie does a much better going into the backstory than previous attempts. It's not perfect, but it does have some good scares and does a great job building tension. There are two seperate stories in this one and the way they connect works quite well. I'd recommend this for sure.
Those movies feel cheap. Much cheaper and just seemed to be feeding off the success of the first one. The acting is horrible in both, the news anchor is part 2 is laughably bad. Part 3 is more of the same. Neither one adds much to the story either.
This movie has much better acting and cinematography than the previous two. It feels like this one was made to actually further the story, not just as a cash grab. This movie does a much better going into the backstory than previous attempts. It's not perfect, but it does have some good scares and does a great job building tension. There are two seperate stories in this one and the way they connect works quite well. I'd recommend this for sure.
I'd like a cut that gets rid of the cut away interviews
GrassesOh4 December 2023
This movie was really good, I think that it has a great set, the Carmichael Manor, the set was really large and had a lot of great hallways that the characters could walk through.
Personally, I think that the movie could have done away with a ton of the interviews that are interspersed throughout the run time. They really killed the momentum of the creep factor that the movie worked hard to get going. I think they were included so that the plot could be explained more in depth? Maybe so that the audience isn't lost in anyway?
I'd say its like eating a nice meal, then while you're eating it, the waiter comes out, takes the meal from you, and points to different parts of the meal and explains to you how the chef made it, and why it tastes good, you say, oh yeah, thanks, could've learned that later, and then the waiter sits it back down in front of you. Strange, but oh well, the food is good, I can deal with it. Then the waiter comes back and does it 5 more times, it gets tiring.
They could've saved the exposition dumps for the scenes that take place after the final climax of the movie, but they didn't for some reason.
The gore that is used, though sparingly, throughout the movie is well done, they weren't fake looking, they were slightly realistic, but the amount of blood that they did use wasn't to the point that it looked ridiculous, they use just the right amount for each scene they needed it.
The acting of the different characters seemed to falter in scenes where I guess the actors aren't proficient, but it didn't detract from the movie too much.
Overall, I don't regret watching this movie, the jump scares were innovative and kinda new, def a 7/10, would probably watch it again with new people.
Personally, I think that the movie could have done away with a ton of the interviews that are interspersed throughout the run time. They really killed the momentum of the creep factor that the movie worked hard to get going. I think they were included so that the plot could be explained more in depth? Maybe so that the audience isn't lost in anyway?
I'd say its like eating a nice meal, then while you're eating it, the waiter comes out, takes the meal from you, and points to different parts of the meal and explains to you how the chef made it, and why it tastes good, you say, oh yeah, thanks, could've learned that later, and then the waiter sits it back down in front of you. Strange, but oh well, the food is good, I can deal with it. Then the waiter comes back and does it 5 more times, it gets tiring.
They could've saved the exposition dumps for the scenes that take place after the final climax of the movie, but they didn't for some reason.
The gore that is used, though sparingly, throughout the movie is well done, they weren't fake looking, they were slightly realistic, but the amount of blood that they did use wasn't to the point that it looked ridiculous, they use just the right amount for each scene they needed it.
The acting of the different characters seemed to falter in scenes where I guess the actors aren't proficient, but it didn't detract from the movie too much.
Overall, I don't regret watching this movie, the jump scares were innovative and kinda new, def a 7/10, would probably watch it again with new people.
Better than most FF
begob31 October 2023
When an internet sleuth drags her girlfriend along to investigate the scene of a grisly massacre at a deserted mansion in the woods, they get more than they bargained for.
Over-produced found-footage that still manages to be effective. The ideal for this genre is to wind up the story like clockwork in the first ten minutes, then let it unwind through intelligent editing of the footage, allowing the audience to fill in the gaps. Instead this production gives us masses of exposition through the framing device of a mockumentary, with explanatory flashbacks, and inserts foreboding music where appropriate.
So the story has trouble standing on its own feet, with ho-hum plotting and characterisation, and in the end has to fall back into classic Blair Witch mode to reach its climax.
And despite the fussy direction, the in-scene motivations are poorly handled. You know you can run away, right, instead of shuffling? So that the audience might satisfy itself that every means of escape was tried, before this unstoppable evil had its way? Perhaps bolting and chaining the bedroom door might be in order - especially since the chain is hanging limp, in plain sight, in scene after scene? It won't do any good, but y'know ... And if a character is in terror of her life, the best thing to do is put the camera down while still trained on the action, so the audience doesn't have to wonder why she's still filming. If she needs the camera light to flee through the darkness, then that's OK. And of course: don't split up, and don't go toward the threat that just scared the bejebus out of you, etc. And it's not necessary to give a final homily on the nature of evil: we know what we just saw.
As for the figures of evil, I know many are creeped out just by the sight of clowns, but not me - especially when my first thought was, 'Oh, they hired some specialist mime artists for this bit - that's why they're so still. Do their noses get itchy?'
Yet the atmosphere is genuinely creepy, and I was mostly engaged throughout. Plus there is an original and excellent video conference weird-out at 45 mins that got my adrenaline buzzing. For that, and the mounting hysteria (a la BW, including a distant cry for help that sounds like the first victim) I rate it above average.
Over-produced found-footage that still manages to be effective. The ideal for this genre is to wind up the story like clockwork in the first ten minutes, then let it unwind through intelligent editing of the footage, allowing the audience to fill in the gaps. Instead this production gives us masses of exposition through the framing device of a mockumentary, with explanatory flashbacks, and inserts foreboding music where appropriate.
So the story has trouble standing on its own feet, with ho-hum plotting and characterisation, and in the end has to fall back into classic Blair Witch mode to reach its climax.
And despite the fussy direction, the in-scene motivations are poorly handled. You know you can run away, right, instead of shuffling? So that the audience might satisfy itself that every means of escape was tried, before this unstoppable evil had its way? Perhaps bolting and chaining the bedroom door might be in order - especially since the chain is hanging limp, in plain sight, in scene after scene? It won't do any good, but y'know ... And if a character is in terror of her life, the best thing to do is put the camera down while still trained on the action, so the audience doesn't have to wonder why she's still filming. If she needs the camera light to flee through the darkness, then that's OK. And of course: don't split up, and don't go toward the threat that just scared the bejebus out of you, etc. And it's not necessary to give a final homily on the nature of evil: we know what we just saw.
As for the figures of evil, I know many are creeped out just by the sight of clowns, but not me - especially when my first thought was, 'Oh, they hired some specialist mime artists for this bit - that's why they're so still. Do their noses get itchy?'
Yet the atmosphere is genuinely creepy, and I was mostly engaged throughout. Plus there is an original and excellent video conference weird-out at 45 mins that got my adrenaline buzzing. For that, and the mounting hysteria (a la BW, including a distant cry for help that sounds like the first victim) I rate it above average.
Storywise meh, but some of the scares are effective! [+52%]
arungeorge1330 October 2023
I'd put this and the first film in the same league, as in, they're both watchable for the crafting of scares in a minimal but impressive way. But the origin story and lore expansion did little for me, as I didn't think even the first film necessarily had a lot going for it. Also, I haven't watched parts two and three, so I'm unsure if I missed anything significant. Found footage can become extremely monotonous and repetitive, and here I could witness that in parts. The protagonists are still fairly uninteresting and lacking any real motives (other than the quest for fame and adventure), and they continue to make questionable decisions throughout.
Director Stephen Cognetti also fails to capitalize on the outdoors of the manor for more atmospheric fights. While this comes into the picture fairly into the final act, the underutilization of the magnificent outdoors (with all those incredible-looking trees) is evident. The indoor scares are reminiscent of the ones from the original film, and I could see them coming at those critical junctures. One particular scare, during a video call, was quite nicely executed. The clowns are less scary this time, and some of it has to be attributed to what we've already seen. I don't exactly know what to make of those long-running lore connections, but it sure didn't make the experience substantially more riveting.
Director Stephen Cognetti also fails to capitalize on the outdoors of the manor for more atmospheric fights. While this comes into the picture fairly into the final act, the underutilization of the magnificent outdoors (with all those incredible-looking trees) is evident. The indoor scares are reminiscent of the ones from the original film, and I could see them coming at those critical junctures. One particular scare, during a video call, was quite nicely executed. The clowns are less scary this time, and some of it has to be attributed to what we've already seen. I don't exactly know what to make of those long-running lore connections, but it sure didn't make the experience substantially more riveting.
please don't listen to the bad reviews!!
MrAnte062 November 2023
I went into this movie with quite normal expectations, because I know that I enjoyed the previous ones.
But I also read all these bad reviews telling me that the movie had "bad acting" or that the story was bad or something like that. But I can now say, that was NOT the case!
This movie is honestly one of the few creepy and scary horror movies I've seen in a while. Because nowadays, I don't get scared that easily. But this movie gave me that creepy and crawly feeling of dread, that something is really wrong. Which is the feeling I want when I'm watching a horror movie!
If you liked the previous movies, watch this one! Trust me, just do it, please!
It was scary, creepy, had a good story and explained very much backstory, and that is more than enough for me at least.
So go and watch it right now!
But I also read all these bad reviews telling me that the movie had "bad acting" or that the story was bad or something like that. But I can now say, that was NOT the case!
This movie is honestly one of the few creepy and scary horror movies I've seen in a while. Because nowadays, I don't get scared that easily. But this movie gave me that creepy and crawly feeling of dread, that something is really wrong. Which is the feeling I want when I'm watching a horror movie!
If you liked the previous movies, watch this one! Trust me, just do it, please!
It was scary, creepy, had a good story and explained very much backstory, and that is more than enough for me at least.
So go and watch it right now!
The only decent sequel thus far...
aardvarktheape30 October 2023
A lesbian couple and one of their siblings spend a few days in a mansion where a family was murdered right after the mass suicide at The Abaddon Hotel.
The original "Hell House LLC" is literally the only found-footage movie that I've ever liked. It felt realistic, the characters were compelling, and there were a few great scares. The first sequel made the mistake of trying to explain the history of the hotel, which the second pursued further (and with some of the most amateurish acting I've ever seen outside of '90s porn!).
Thankfully, this movie sort of went back to basics. The acting is generally natural, there are some decent creep-outs, and we're not bogged down with ridiculous details.
There are a couple of things that keep it from being truly great though. The first film, which centered on the opening of a house-of-horrors, had plenty of behind-the-scenes dramas among the characters. It felt like there was a full story there, where this feels like more of a Ghost Hunters sketch of a story. My other big problem is the clowns (and no, I don't have coulrophobia!). It made sense that the clowns were seen in a Halloween attraction, but the excuse for their appearance in this mansion seems pretty flimsy -- just like all of the other ties to The Abaddon Hotel.
Those gripes aside, it's well-made, a good popcorn flick, and recommended to anyone who liked the original. Also worth noting: a brief scene after the end credits teases another sequel.
The original "Hell House LLC" is literally the only found-footage movie that I've ever liked. It felt realistic, the characters were compelling, and there were a few great scares. The first sequel made the mistake of trying to explain the history of the hotel, which the second pursued further (and with some of the most amateurish acting I've ever seen outside of '90s porn!).
Thankfully, this movie sort of went back to basics. The acting is generally natural, there are some decent creep-outs, and we're not bogged down with ridiculous details.
There are a couple of things that keep it from being truly great though. The first film, which centered on the opening of a house-of-horrors, had plenty of behind-the-scenes dramas among the characters. It felt like there was a full story there, where this feels like more of a Ghost Hunters sketch of a story. My other big problem is the clowns (and no, I don't have coulrophobia!). It made sense that the clowns were seen in a Halloween attraction, but the excuse for their appearance in this mansion seems pretty flimsy -- just like all of the other ties to The Abaddon Hotel.
Those gripes aside, it's well-made, a good popcorn flick, and recommended to anyone who liked the original. Also worth noting: a brief scene after the end credits teases another sequel.
Ruined by the bad main actress
ashkan-khashaey1126 December 2023
Its a decent horror movie but really the lead actress killed the whole experience for me , the way she acted the dialogues .. and the choices they make ..! I mean why wont they just leave !!!
Red flags all over the place .., and yet margo insist on staying there . And the funny part is shes just scared as they are .. bad writing terrible acting Really ruined this movie I really wanted margo to die .. and thats a bad factor in horror movie that you want the main character to die Hope the director learned his lesson never to work with this writer and actress again A lot of money wasted on this movie ...
Red flags all over the place .., and yet margo insist on staying there . And the funny part is shes just scared as they are .. bad writing terrible acting Really ruined this movie I really wanted margo to die .. and thats a bad factor in horror movie that you want the main character to die Hope the director learned his lesson never to work with this writer and actress again A lot of money wasted on this movie ...
These People Can Really Make a Movie
guitarslinger87-11 November 2023
If you're a fan of even just one of the original three films then you'll enjoy this a lot. Cognetti manages to remain true to the genre with what was obviously a much higher budget. He has given us, not a sequel or prequel, but another volume in the Hell House Verse. I really hope he continues to make films in this universe and expand the story even more.
Most harsh criticism is the acting. One thing they makes the original 3 so special, IMHO, is the incredible performances where I rarely ever felt like I was watching someone trying to look like they're not acting. That's a whole different ball game for found footage than it is other films. These performances fell flat in some places but are still overall believable.
Most harsh criticism is the acting. One thing they makes the original 3 so special, IMHO, is the incredible performances where I rarely ever felt like I was watching someone trying to look like they're not acting. That's a whole different ball game for found footage than it is other films. These performances fell flat in some places but are still overall believable.
Very scary but bad acting, writing, and plot
lglenbe6 December 2023
Let me start off by saying this was a very scary movie. I've been a big fan of the Hell House franchise for a while especially the first movie, so I had to watch this. This movie does the Hell House LLC IP justice in terms of scares, but unfortunately falls flat in almost all other regards of an interesting and well rounded film.
The acting is bad. It is very very bad. At no point does it seem like the characters believe or feel what they are saying. Their facial expressions are exaggerated and their mannerisms/speech are simply not convincing. It feels less like the actors are trapped inside an evil, haunted mansion, and more like they are reading lines off a teleprompter. It Is so so so bad. The choices they make are also ridiculous, to the point where it completely detracts from the realism.
Now that that is out of the way... this is in fact a very scary movie. It does rely heavily on jump scares which is slightly disappointing, but they are done very well and the tension building is top notch. The atmosphere is super creepy and the camera work, lighting, music/sound, all contributes to the super eerie vibe of the film.
This easily could have been an 8/10 if the acting and writing had been on par with the first Hell House. Overall I would still suggest giving it a watch just because how creepy it is.
The acting is bad. It is very very bad. At no point does it seem like the characters believe or feel what they are saying. Their facial expressions are exaggerated and their mannerisms/speech are simply not convincing. It feels less like the actors are trapped inside an evil, haunted mansion, and more like they are reading lines off a teleprompter. It Is so so so bad. The choices they make are also ridiculous, to the point where it completely detracts from the realism.
Now that that is out of the way... this is in fact a very scary movie. It does rely heavily on jump scares which is slightly disappointing, but they are done very well and the tension building is top notch. The atmosphere is super creepy and the camera work, lighting, music/sound, all contributes to the super eerie vibe of the film.
This easily could have been an 8/10 if the acting and writing had been on par with the first Hell House. Overall I would still suggest giving it a watch just because how creepy it is.
Weak acting, story and script.
Daman-Malone3 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I am a big fan of 1.
Disliked 2.
Enjoyed 3.
This latest installment is have to say was a huge disappointment.
The constant direction of "this happened and then this happened and then this happened" was so wasted and useless. That said I think like part 2 it was the actors and acting that ruined it for me.
The character of Margot Bentley played by Bridget Rose Perrotta was so far off mark. Her relationship with character Rebecca Vickers played by Destiny Leilani Brown was absolutely not convincing, they certainly didn't seem like lovers but more like good girly friends.
The acting by Bridget was really weak, over exaggerated and mistimed on many back and fourth dialog scenes.
Some of the plot set ups were also very bad. *SPOLIER* When the ladies arrive at the Carmichael mansion with Donald (I think was his name) to get the keys and be show around, Rebecca asks Donald regarding the internet signal and he states "as I said to Margot when we last spoke, the internet is just fine". The reason this is a red flag is because Rebecca mentioned a few times before they arrived at the mansion that she will be happy as long as it has internet at which point Margot could've simple said it does. It also foreshadowing the internet going down.
I was super excited when this movie was announced, even more excited when it dropped but now having seen it twice, it is by far the weakest link and the worse produced out of them.
Disliked 2.
Enjoyed 3.
This latest installment is have to say was a huge disappointment.
The constant direction of "this happened and then this happened and then this happened" was so wasted and useless. That said I think like part 2 it was the actors and acting that ruined it for me.
The character of Margot Bentley played by Bridget Rose Perrotta was so far off mark. Her relationship with character Rebecca Vickers played by Destiny Leilani Brown was absolutely not convincing, they certainly didn't seem like lovers but more like good girly friends.
The acting by Bridget was really weak, over exaggerated and mistimed on many back and fourth dialog scenes.
Some of the plot set ups were also very bad. *SPOLIER* When the ladies arrive at the Carmichael mansion with Donald (I think was his name) to get the keys and be show around, Rebecca asks Donald regarding the internet signal and he states "as I said to Margot when we last spoke, the internet is just fine". The reason this is a red flag is because Rebecca mentioned a few times before they arrived at the mansion that she will be happy as long as it has internet at which point Margot could've simple said it does. It also foreshadowing the internet going down.
I was super excited when this movie was announced, even more excited when it dropped but now having seen it twice, it is by far the weakest link and the worse produced out of them.
Kinda Spooky, Not as Scary as the Original
thalassafischer1 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I thought that there were some genuinely spooky elements to this origin story, including the grainy footage of the 1980s and the mysterious death of the older sister by tragic accident leading up to the murder-suicide at Carmichael Manor. Her outfit was great, by the way, Alice Sweet Alice (1976) vibes.
However, I found "Carmichael Manor" wanting. First of all it was too clean. I know it was 30 years after the grisly murders; caretakers and real estate agents were probably renting it out like an AirBNB, but part of what made the Abbadon Hotel originally creepy was that it had this dusty, cluttery feeling. Secondly, I didn't believe that the family was super rich or had servants. I honestly had a much older relative who lived in a similar style house in the 1970s and 80s, and they didn't have servants except on special occasions like Christmas parties. A house like that could be affordable to the middle to upper middle class way out in the sticks like that back in the late 20th century. It easily could have been scooped up in the "decay" era of the 1960s and 70s in a rural area like that - not by a poor person, but also not by someone stupidly rich.
Margot and Rebecca (and more significantly, the actresses who played them) did a great job of convincing me they were scared and that they loved each other...but like, as best friends. No sexual chemistry in this supposedly loving lesbian couple. I don't like excessive sex scenes in horror movies for no reason, but I don't think Margot and Rebecca kiss once. Maybe they were supposed to be a lesbian and an asexual, I know that happens, but I just wasn't getting a "couple" vibe - I got "you're my long term best friend" vibes from them. I would even say sisters if they weren't so obviously unrelated.
I also thought it was totally obvious that Margot's childhood incident was linked to the Abbadon, and the end frankly left me with more questions than answers. I know maybe that's part of the deal with Hell House LLC in general, but some guys were carnies in West Virginia in the 1970s then moved up to New York to start a cult. Okay. The clown costumes don't make sense AT ALL either for a West Virginia carnival in the early 70s. Clowns, yes, blood streaming down their masks: no, absolutely not. Never would see that at Camden Park in the early 80s let alone the 70s. There's also ZERO explanation how Margot as a woman in her 30s, early 40s TOPS would have encountered the scary clowns in the 1970s. Maybe it was supposed to be the late 80s prior to the incident at the Abbadon - but, wait, what? No - the timeline isn't even right.
Yeah, this "origin story" is kind of ... a mixed bag.
However, I found "Carmichael Manor" wanting. First of all it was too clean. I know it was 30 years after the grisly murders; caretakers and real estate agents were probably renting it out like an AirBNB, but part of what made the Abbadon Hotel originally creepy was that it had this dusty, cluttery feeling. Secondly, I didn't believe that the family was super rich or had servants. I honestly had a much older relative who lived in a similar style house in the 1970s and 80s, and they didn't have servants except on special occasions like Christmas parties. A house like that could be affordable to the middle to upper middle class way out in the sticks like that back in the late 20th century. It easily could have been scooped up in the "decay" era of the 1960s and 70s in a rural area like that - not by a poor person, but also not by someone stupidly rich.
Margot and Rebecca (and more significantly, the actresses who played them) did a great job of convincing me they were scared and that they loved each other...but like, as best friends. No sexual chemistry in this supposedly loving lesbian couple. I don't like excessive sex scenes in horror movies for no reason, but I don't think Margot and Rebecca kiss once. Maybe they were supposed to be a lesbian and an asexual, I know that happens, but I just wasn't getting a "couple" vibe - I got "you're my long term best friend" vibes from them. I would even say sisters if they weren't so obviously unrelated.
I also thought it was totally obvious that Margot's childhood incident was linked to the Abbadon, and the end frankly left me with more questions than answers. I know maybe that's part of the deal with Hell House LLC in general, but some guys were carnies in West Virginia in the 1970s then moved up to New York to start a cult. Okay. The clown costumes don't make sense AT ALL either for a West Virginia carnival in the early 70s. Clowns, yes, blood streaming down their masks: no, absolutely not. Never would see that at Camden Park in the early 80s let alone the 70s. There's also ZERO explanation how Margot as a woman in her 30s, early 40s TOPS would have encountered the scary clowns in the 1970s. Maybe it was supposed to be the late 80s prior to the incident at the Abbadon - but, wait, what? No - the timeline isn't even right.
Yeah, this "origin story" is kind of ... a mixed bag.
Not disappointed!
littlecolt-887441 November 2023
This movie serves as a prequel to the original Hell House LLC giving us a backstory leading up to the events at the Abaddon Hotel. I love how they went back and forth between what was happening with the 3 filmmakers at Carmichael Manor to what happened to the Carmichael family. I also really liked that this movie had the same eerie feeling of the original Hell House movie. Something the 3rd one was missing but the 2nd did an okay job of living up to. Stephen Cognetti is definitely a good horror movie director and I hope that this series isn't the last that we see of him and his story writing. The Hell House movies aren't as corny and stupid as a lot of hyped up horror movies these days and this one really lived up to my expectations and was worth the wait. I watched it alone in the dark which is the best way to watch horror movies and I can genuinely say, I had chills in a lot of scenes and the jump scares were very effective. 7/10 which is a very fair rating in my opinion.
Lot of shaky bits but still plenty of fun
themunnyball30 October 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I love these kind of spooky films. So easy to watch, a few cheap thrills and jumps. The characters make so many decisions that no rational human would make from deciding to split up at every turn when they've already had the beejeezus scared out of them to deciding to walk out through the spooky woods instead of on the road they drove in on etc etc etc, but whatever, it's still fun even if it ain't Oscar-worthy. To be fair, this was actually a way stronger effort than Hell House 3. Also, is the rental agent guy actually the real Patrick???
I guess I have to write more to fill out the 600 word requirement, huh?
I guess I have to write more to fill out the 600 word requirement, huh?
Margot actress is horrible
sickleweed9 December 2023
I was looking forward to this installment of the series but my God I couldn't even finish it since the actress who plays Margot is just horrendous: she's constantly screaming her dialogue; she has no chemistry with her costars (the girlfriend and the brother), who, in comparison, are actually pretty decent; she's not at all convincing in any of her interactions or actions. It feels like she's in a different movie or production altogether, like a bad high school play. There have been some bad performances in these movies but she definitely takes the cake as the worst. Wish they chose a different lead.
Solid Shift for this Franchise
Reviews_of_the_Dead26 December 2023
I was intrigued when I heard about this sequel. The first movie in this franchise was one that I enjoyed. I thought the two sequels were solid for what they were doing, but I thought it got away from what made that original one work as well as it did. I figured I'd go ahead and make this a featured review on Journey with a Cinephile since I covered the sequels previously.
Synopsis: a group of cold case investigators stay the Carmichael Manor. After four nights, the group was never heard from again. What is discovered in their footage is even more disturbing than anything found on the Hell House tapes.
This is presented as mockumentary where Bradley Moynahan (Darin F. Earl II) and Alice Harper (Searra Sawka) have gathered information about what about happened to Margot Bentley (Bridget Rose Perrotta), Rebecca Vickers (Destiny Leilani Brown) and Chase Bentley (James Liddell) during their stay at the Carmichael Manor. Bradley and Margot worked together for a sleuth website, which is why he's looking into it. Margot went with her girlfriend Rebecca and her brother of Chase.
The mystery they were looking into involved Patrick Carmichael (Gideon Berger) disappearing where his sister Catherine (Cayla Berejikian) and their mother Eleanor (Marlene Williams) were found dead. The father is the prime suspect, but the weird thing is that there is only a set of footprints coming to the house. Something odd was that another sibling, Margaret (Victoria Andrunik), died in a car accident that made Patrick lose ability of his arm. This series of occurrences brings our group to stay in the manor that is now thought to be haunted.
Then to add even more is that this is near the Abaddon Hotel where the events of the Hell House LLC trilogy took place. Margot liked to film everything so we see the first connection when she and Rebecca go to a local antique shop that has items that survived the fire at the hotel. It is there that a grandfather clock is kept and Rebecca knows of a secret compartment. What is found there gives a connection between the Carmichaels, the Abaddon Hotel and maybe even explain what happened to this family. The clown figures that were at the Abaddon Hotel are also being kept here at the Carmichael Manor.
That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I'll start is that this movie made me uneasy. I'd even go as far to say that this is closer to the first Hell House LLC with what it did there. One of my issues with the two sequels to that one was that it felt they were trying to do too much with building the backstory and it got away from the horror of the first. That's not to say I didn't like them though. I loved the cult, cosmic horror and even the religious aspects that gets incorporated in. It just didn't work as well for me.
Now I do have to say, I wasn't fully sure how they were going to connect this to that trilogy. Seeing in the title that this was an origin-style story, I thought then that this would take place before the events of Hell House LLC and its sequels. That's not the case. What this is doing though is going into the past with footage found from Catherine since she liked to make movies. She also would record different things at home. I was shocked how well that worked and didn't feel forced to me like how others in this sub-genre/filming style can at times. What is even better here, I love mirroring things in the past to what is happening in the present to our trio. That was well done. It also made me feel uneasy, which doesn't happen a lot.
Let me then look at our group in the present. We have Margot who does this as a hobby. She created this site with Bradley where they look at different unsolved murders and see if they can find something that was missing. Rebecca loves her and comes along, but she has the job that allows them to do things like this. There is resentment here between Margot and Rebecca that comes to head during this one. This is the first time they encountered a real haunting. I did like the tension that builds there. We also bring in Chase who had a mental breakdown. He probably shouldn't be here, but he experienced something that told him to. It might not be a good thing since he's as shaky mentally as he is.
There is also this roll of film that is found that shows us backstory with the Carmichaels. What is interesting there is that Margot didn't see any of it. She took it and sent it off to Bradley, who got it developed and watched it. It is presented here in this mockumentary as the last days of Catherine with the fateful murder that Margot's group is looking into. This does lose realism here though. This footage would need to be given to the police and not shown here unless the police released it for this documentary to show it. Regardless, there is good writing and editing here as I said. I love that we see things done on this roll of film that match up to the haunting in the present. That almost makes a time loop feel.
Let me then just finish my thoughts on filmmaking. I've already said how good the editing was to sync up the past and present. I'd also say that the framing and cinematography are solid. There are eerie things with this clown mannequins where they will be in a room that they shouldn't be. I'd heard another podcaster bring up how you can clearly see that there is a person in the make-up and outfit. I noticed that too, but it adds another creepy element where you think they might be moving, but you're also not completely sure. I like that. They do creepy stuff here that made me uncomfortable so once again, credit to that. The soundtrack also adds to the atmosphere. We also have CGI at times, at least I thought I saw that. If there is, not an issue. I thought this was well-made across the board.
All that is left then is acting. Perrotta, Brown and Liddell are all good. I like them as they trio that go to this manor and experience more than they bargained. They felt like real people, which is what I'm looking for here. Berger, Berejikian, Andrunik and Williams are solid as the Carmichael family. Again, what I like there is their back story influences the present. Earl and Sawka are solid as these people who are being interviewed for the mockumentary. I love how they fill in what we need. Other than that, Thomas J. Cipriano, Michael Caproili and the rest of the cast rounded this out for what was needed. Special credit to Joe Bandelli as the Hell House Clown.
In conclusion, I thought this was one of the better installments to the franchise. I put this right up there after the original. The back story of Carmichael Manor and how it factors in with Hell House LLC worked well. There is good filmmaking here. I credit the cinematography, framing, editing and the soundtrack to work. I did question why there was a musical score, but we are seeing the edited footage together. The acting brings the characters to life. This also made me feel uncomfortable, which I love. If you like this series, then I think this will work for you. Also, I'd recommend it to found footage fans.
My Rating: 8 out of 10.
Synopsis: a group of cold case investigators stay the Carmichael Manor. After four nights, the group was never heard from again. What is discovered in their footage is even more disturbing than anything found on the Hell House tapes.
This is presented as mockumentary where Bradley Moynahan (Darin F. Earl II) and Alice Harper (Searra Sawka) have gathered information about what about happened to Margot Bentley (Bridget Rose Perrotta), Rebecca Vickers (Destiny Leilani Brown) and Chase Bentley (James Liddell) during their stay at the Carmichael Manor. Bradley and Margot worked together for a sleuth website, which is why he's looking into it. Margot went with her girlfriend Rebecca and her brother of Chase.
The mystery they were looking into involved Patrick Carmichael (Gideon Berger) disappearing where his sister Catherine (Cayla Berejikian) and their mother Eleanor (Marlene Williams) were found dead. The father is the prime suspect, but the weird thing is that there is only a set of footprints coming to the house. Something odd was that another sibling, Margaret (Victoria Andrunik), died in a car accident that made Patrick lose ability of his arm. This series of occurrences brings our group to stay in the manor that is now thought to be haunted.
Then to add even more is that this is near the Abaddon Hotel where the events of the Hell House LLC trilogy took place. Margot liked to film everything so we see the first connection when she and Rebecca go to a local antique shop that has items that survived the fire at the hotel. It is there that a grandfather clock is kept and Rebecca knows of a secret compartment. What is found there gives a connection between the Carmichaels, the Abaddon Hotel and maybe even explain what happened to this family. The clown figures that were at the Abaddon Hotel are also being kept here at the Carmichael Manor.
That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I'll start is that this movie made me uneasy. I'd even go as far to say that this is closer to the first Hell House LLC with what it did there. One of my issues with the two sequels to that one was that it felt they were trying to do too much with building the backstory and it got away from the horror of the first. That's not to say I didn't like them though. I loved the cult, cosmic horror and even the religious aspects that gets incorporated in. It just didn't work as well for me.
Now I do have to say, I wasn't fully sure how they were going to connect this to that trilogy. Seeing in the title that this was an origin-style story, I thought then that this would take place before the events of Hell House LLC and its sequels. That's not the case. What this is doing though is going into the past with footage found from Catherine since she liked to make movies. She also would record different things at home. I was shocked how well that worked and didn't feel forced to me like how others in this sub-genre/filming style can at times. What is even better here, I love mirroring things in the past to what is happening in the present to our trio. That was well done. It also made me feel uneasy, which doesn't happen a lot.
Let me then look at our group in the present. We have Margot who does this as a hobby. She created this site with Bradley where they look at different unsolved murders and see if they can find something that was missing. Rebecca loves her and comes along, but she has the job that allows them to do things like this. There is resentment here between Margot and Rebecca that comes to head during this one. This is the first time they encountered a real haunting. I did like the tension that builds there. We also bring in Chase who had a mental breakdown. He probably shouldn't be here, but he experienced something that told him to. It might not be a good thing since he's as shaky mentally as he is.
There is also this roll of film that is found that shows us backstory with the Carmichaels. What is interesting there is that Margot didn't see any of it. She took it and sent it off to Bradley, who got it developed and watched it. It is presented here in this mockumentary as the last days of Catherine with the fateful murder that Margot's group is looking into. This does lose realism here though. This footage would need to be given to the police and not shown here unless the police released it for this documentary to show it. Regardless, there is good writing and editing here as I said. I love that we see things done on this roll of film that match up to the haunting in the present. That almost makes a time loop feel.
Let me then just finish my thoughts on filmmaking. I've already said how good the editing was to sync up the past and present. I'd also say that the framing and cinematography are solid. There are eerie things with this clown mannequins where they will be in a room that they shouldn't be. I'd heard another podcaster bring up how you can clearly see that there is a person in the make-up and outfit. I noticed that too, but it adds another creepy element where you think they might be moving, but you're also not completely sure. I like that. They do creepy stuff here that made me uncomfortable so once again, credit to that. The soundtrack also adds to the atmosphere. We also have CGI at times, at least I thought I saw that. If there is, not an issue. I thought this was well-made across the board.
All that is left then is acting. Perrotta, Brown and Liddell are all good. I like them as they trio that go to this manor and experience more than they bargained. They felt like real people, which is what I'm looking for here. Berger, Berejikian, Andrunik and Williams are solid as the Carmichael family. Again, what I like there is their back story influences the present. Earl and Sawka are solid as these people who are being interviewed for the mockumentary. I love how they fill in what we need. Other than that, Thomas J. Cipriano, Michael Caproili and the rest of the cast rounded this out for what was needed. Special credit to Joe Bandelli as the Hell House Clown.
In conclusion, I thought this was one of the better installments to the franchise. I put this right up there after the original. The back story of Carmichael Manor and how it factors in with Hell House LLC worked well. There is good filmmaking here. I credit the cinematography, framing, editing and the soundtrack to work. I did question why there was a musical score, but we are seeing the edited footage together. The acting brings the characters to life. This also made me feel uncomfortable, which I love. If you like this series, then I think this will work for you. Also, I'd recommend it to found footage fans.
My Rating: 8 out of 10.
After further review...
jaylemieux-2323730 October 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I was really excited to see this, and while we know it's tough to make FFF these days, I'd say that this was not quite as fun as I thought it would be. I hate to dis on anything to do with this series or Mr. Cognetti. I LOVE the Hell House LLC movies. Each one is sort of has that nice tie affect to the others, yet stands alone in it's own space.
That's probably the only really cool thing about this movie was that it really did bring the other 3 films into it at some points and you could see the references.
Originally, I wrote a fairly long review of this movie and after I watched it again, I decided to change it and start over. I think the first time I watched it, I was distracted and didn't really see anything correctly. It's good to use the rewind button once in a while!
On second viewing, I decided this movie is actually really creepy. I had missed some key elements from the first viewing that make more sense now.
Oh balance, this is a decent flick. I gave it 5 stars simply because it was, in fact, suspenseful and creepy as hell most of the time. These people go from one unexplained issue to another and the silver masked woman peeking around the corner was just great! Plus they found out who it was, and that made it even better.
My suggestion to anyone who is a fan of the Hell House LLC films, pay close attention to the story here and it'll make more sense as to what is actually going on in the house. I just didn't notice it the first time.
That's probably the only really cool thing about this movie was that it really did bring the other 3 films into it at some points and you could see the references.
Originally, I wrote a fairly long review of this movie and after I watched it again, I decided to change it and start over. I think the first time I watched it, I was distracted and didn't really see anything correctly. It's good to use the rewind button once in a while!
On second viewing, I decided this movie is actually really creepy. I had missed some key elements from the first viewing that make more sense now.
Oh balance, this is a decent flick. I gave it 5 stars simply because it was, in fact, suspenseful and creepy as hell most of the time. These people go from one unexplained issue to another and the silver masked woman peeking around the corner was just great! Plus they found out who it was, and that made it even better.
My suggestion to anyone who is a fan of the Hell House LLC films, pay close attention to the story here and it'll make more sense as to what is actually going on in the house. I just didn't notice it the first time.
Found footage horror movie acting
emrekaragoz-9434612 November 2023
Even going into the movie our bar for acceptable actors is already quite low.. and im sure the producers or director repeatedly told themselves that the bad acting wouldnt matter or be covered up by the fact its all found footage of internet detectives being their corny selves. But... its just unwatachable after ten minutes or so. The main actress is just not a good actor. None of them are. I dont believe a single word they say and I definitely dont believe the girls are in a relationship. When the guy joins the movie and says hes not a internet sloth instead of a "sleuth" i knew i messed up deciding to watch this garbage. Even the two actors who did the documentary interview scenes were bad.. or perhaps just the script was. No one talks like that or says things like they do which one would think is the easier part to write and act but it just doesnt work. After the first 20mins if u decide to stay its to see the freaky clowns chase these actors around for a bit and maybe enjoy the costume designs.
So good!
crwatts-9254030 October 2023
Great scares, excellent tie in to the series, will watch again and again! Don't understand the reviews not rating it because it's likely the best movie in the whole Hell House series thus far. If you truly sit and watch this with focus, you'll get chills, it's the perfect Halloween movie. Only negative would be I couldn't clearly tell where it fell in the timeline along with the other movies but it just adds more layers to the whole story they've been weaving with Hell House. I will add I've watched the prior 3 and the first has been my favorite, third was my least favorite but did add more depth to the story. However, the scare factor in this one is the best of them all!
Creepy AF
dustin-ward29 December 2023
This movie is worth a watch (as long as you can handle clown ghosts). Found footage format is always interesting to me and I turned this on to have playing while doing some other tasks and I got sucked in to its suspense thru the whole thing. It seemed a lot more modern than I anticipated from just seeing it as a streaming option on AMC and reading the small description. I have no idea if this is based on a true location? But I'm curious enough after watching I'm sure I'll be searching that soon. Certainly not my favorite horror film, but not deserving of the many low reviews I saw on here IMO.
That Clown
jcslawyer26 November 2023
I've been a huge fan of HH LLC since I first saw it. The sequel was ok, but undoubtedly inferior. The one after that was so bad I decided it didn't exist. When I saw this film was out, I had hesitation given that non-existent swill. Boy was I surprised. I haven't written a review in a while, but had to about this. It went back to basics. Had really scary parts and some decent, well executed jump scares. I didn't appreciate the music. It takes away from the FF. I understand there's a frame documentary, but they should've added a disclaimer about music for effect so it didn't seem so unnatural for this format. Anyway, those clowns are freakin' creepy AF. You'd think it would get old. Nope. Still creepy. I haven't been that unsettled in a movie in a while. I miss that. It's why we watch scary movies.
I really couldn't stand the character of Chase. I was initially glad that another person was going to be staying with them. But he ended up being super pointless. He made irritatingly bad decisions and it was extremely frustrating. Like, why are you whispering...and walking away slowly? Why aren't you running and screaming? How about getting the attention of the sister and her gf? Oh and why are you still there after the first incident? That wasn't subtle. That's a huge, fat nope for moi.
Anyway, if you liked the first, this brings back the formula that made it appealing in the first place.
I really couldn't stand the character of Chase. I was initially glad that another person was going to be staying with them. But he ended up being super pointless. He made irritatingly bad decisions and it was extremely frustrating. Like, why are you whispering...and walking away slowly? Why aren't you running and screaming? How about getting the attention of the sister and her gf? Oh and why are you still there after the first incident? That wasn't subtle. That's a huge, fat nope for moi.
Anyway, if you liked the first, this brings back the formula that made it appealing in the first place.
Missing the old eerie feel that hhllc produced before
greenchef-4011631 October 2023
7stars for 10. Loved the performance there's no doubt but, I thought they'll show many scary scenes with Cayla (Elder Carmichaels sister)with the old cameras, but it has only one. There's so much scope to create scenes but idk why he refused. I felt like movie completed very fast. Hope it is not the last movie of this franchise
7stars for 10. Loved the performance there's no doubt but, I thought they'll show many scary scenes with Cayla (Elder Carmichaels sister)with the old cameras, but it has only one. There's so much scope to create scenes but idk why he refused. I felt like movie completed very fast. Nmmhhhggggghhjwjwjejeejeuehehehehe.
7stars for 10. Loved the performance there's no doubt but, I thought they'll show many scary scenes with Cayla (Elder Carmichaels sister)with the old cameras, but it has only one. There's so much scope to create scenes but idk why he refused. I felt like movie completed very fast. Nmmhhhggggghhjwjwjejeejeuehehehehe.
Entertaining but flawed
noimagination30 October 2023
I wasn't convinced by the acting, but having not seen the previous three films, I didn't know whether this was a knowing contrivance; it was pretty consistently bad across the board. Much scenery was chewed. However, despite that, I thought the first 3/4 of the film delivered very well on a technical level. In particular, the camerawork was solid, and very adroit at delivering scenes that oblige you to scan every detail waiting for something sinister to happen. Indeed, I thought everything hung together very well to deliver quite an unnerving atmosphere. Unfortunately, the finale did not fulfil expectations, and so much of the set-up was lost to what felt like a second-rate tribute to Blair Witch.
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