There’s Someone Inside Your House (2021)

Movie Info

Does this face mask clash with my outfit?

Everyone has secrets, but Makani Young (Sydney Park) might have secrets bigger than most.  Trying to put her past behind her, Makani has moved from Hawaii to Osborne, Nebraska where she hopes she can build a new life her senior year.  Unfortunately, no one in Osborne’s past is hidden.  Someone is on a killing spree and secrets seem to be the weapon of choice for the killer…along with knives.  Makani and her friends must stay alive long enough to find the killer, and it could be anyone of them.

Directed by Patrick Brice, There’s Someone Inside Your House is a teen horror slasher film.  The movie is an adaptation of Stephanie Perkins’ 2017 novel and premiered at Fantastic Fest before being released on Netflix.

Like many Netflix movies, it seemed like you couldn’t avoid There’s Someone Inside Your House when it was released.  It was all over Netflix’s front page and touted how many people were watching it…with an October release, a new slasher movie has potential.  There’s Someone Inside Your House has its moments but it also feels oddly truncated and cliché.

So wait…since you’re not wearing my face mask, you can’t kill me right? It is kind of a serial killer ethics thing…

The title is almost a misnomer (along with the poster).  It feels like the story is going to be a home invasion story, and while there are a few moments taking place in the homes of the characters, the title really doesn’t relate back much to the story.  The characters largely go about their lives with a heightened sense of security despite the fact a serial killer seems to be on the loose in this tiny country town where everyone seems to know each other.  As expected, the mystery surrounding the killer gets closer and closer to Makani and anyone can be a suspect (leading to a very expected solution).

The cast is young and that is what is needed for a project like this, but it is also a hindrance.  The characters feel like cardboard cutouts from the factor of “teens” and though horror movies today present a much more positive, balanced, and inclusive cast, it sometimes feels a bit unrealistic especially when considering the location of this movie…things are changing in the United States, but acceptance still is a challenge in certain parts of country.

What’s the matter…sword got your tongue?

The film has some extremely brutal kills which distinguishes it from the typical PG-13 “try to capture all viewers” kills of some modern slashers.  The killer is quite brutal and puts money into his/her kills (which also serves as a kind of a giveaway in a murder that seems unrealistic).  The brutality and more so the timing of the kills doesn’t seem that bright in comparison to the killer’s abilities and the “it’s a frame-up” aspect of the story which is common doesn’t work well here…any half-assed police work could prove much of the cast innocent if it went to court.

There’s Someone Inside Your House fortunately doesn’t run long, but it also feels like the viewer is missing out on major points of development.  The movie feels incomplete and that it was either meant to be longer or meant to be a mini-series…the result is a so-so entry that at least has the vibes and feel of a post-Scream 1990s slasher…be it a plus-or-minus to the preference of the viewers.