The Last House is not a horror movie. There are no jump-scares or dismemberments but it is entertaining nonetheless. It’s more like a Stephen King novel or similar to The Happening but centered around one family and their experience with the frightening events.
The premise is unique yet giving us the common “what if” scenario. What if the ocean decided to take back its planet? This film is more of a psychological thriller than horror when you consider hearing your child say, “I’m hungry,” knowing you have no way to feed them.
The Delgado family becomes trapped in their house by an unknown force and after the initial panic, they settle into their new reality. Viewers soon begin to deduce what has trapped them but it takes the family years to realize what has happened.
On a typical morning the Delgados scurry about preparing for their day when they suddenly realize they can’t leave the house. Jason(Wagner Moura), Papa Delgado and unemployed fisherman, runs around yanking on all the doors and smashing windows but is unable to break through. Ann(Greta Lee), Mama Delgado, and their two children Ruth(Riley Chung) and Graham(Noah Alexander Sosnowski) also try to get out but to no avail.
Jason assures them they have plenty of food and the utilities still provide water and electricity. The days turn into weeks and the weeks turn into months. They accept their fate and try to make the best of their situation.
In the third act there is a five year jump which sees the Delgados thriving. They have started growing food inside the house and Jason has perfected his “Macguyvered” technique for capturing woodland animals. All of this catches the attention of the creatures who have manipulated the seawater to hold them captive in their house.
The creatures are finally revealed and violence ensues. When they enter the house, the Delgados see it as a way out but the creatures are determined to keep them trapped. After a brief but intense struggle, they agree to go their separate ways.
The Delgados are finally allowed to leave their house and explore what the earth has become. They walk around the neighborhood taking in what appears to be civilization’s surrender to nature. When they happen upon a neighbor’s boat, they decide to take their chances on the ocean. This is significant since Jason was yearning to get back to fishing.
This is a great movie with a comfortable pace. It keeps you interested right up to the credits. The performances were also superb with a diverse cast that is reflective of the changing suburban demographic. There was an older Black couple who were the Delgados’ neighbors but they didn’t have any dialogue.
The visual effects were believable allowing the viewer to be immersed in the story without any distractions. The creatures were slightly different from what you might expect. They were somewhat visually ambiguous but still recognizable. They had movement and looked like something you would see in an aquatic environment. In other words, not a motion-captured biped.
The Last House was emotionally intense enough to make it exciting but not intense enough to give you nightmares. It’s not Jaws-level fright but still good. Probably not something to see with the little ones but definitely a date night film.
