The Cellar will have a day-and-date premiere on April 15th, streaming exclusively on Shudder in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand with a U.S. theatrical release through RLJE Films
Synopsis
After moving to an old house in the country, Keira’s daughter goes missing during a power cut. She decides she will go to hell and back to find her.
Review
In the pantheon of horror movies there’s two locations you should never enter alone. The attic. Or the cellar. In writer/director Brendan Muldowney’s The Cellar its titular location is both its unique selling point and its MacGuffin of choice.
Like many contemporary horrors, The Cellar uses its first act to set up its character rather than jumping straight to the action. Keira (Elisha Cuthbert), her husband and co-worker Brian (Eoin Macken), daughter Ellie (Abby Fitz), and son Steven (Dylan Fitzmaurice Brady) move in to a sprawling country house in Ireland. They’re job in marketing and PR has brought them to this semi-remote vista but it’s only Ellie who seems to pick up on the many warning signs.
There’s mathematical symbols scrawled in to the walls. Then there’s ominous cellar. Ellie seems clued in to the tropes of a classic horror and knows this is not somewhere that teens should be hanging out.
The family unit work well together. Cuthbert and Macken have some touching, if a little fraught, chemistry. As a four piece they’re believable, so when things take an inevitable turn their emotional responses feel genuine. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Cuthbert on screen and it was a welcome change to see her in a maternal role.
When Ellie disappears Muldowney’s script follows the step-by-step guide to storytelling. At first everyone believes Ellie has simply run away. It’s only Kiera, our lead and the film’s biggest star, who sees that there is more going on. At first nobody believes her but as the pieces come together it becomes clear there is much more going on.
The Cellar follows all the require story beats for a horror to the latter. It’s a slow burn which ekes out its exposition right up to its final moments. But whilst it doesn’t re-write the rule book, there is still plenty to elevate it about other, more generic fare. A core mystery around the house – which, by the way, was a steal to purchase – adds a level of nuance which illustrates Muldowney’s attention to detail. The connection to other mysterious houses around the world teases a wider world which could be interesting to explore further if given the chance.
It’s only in its final act that The Cellar chooses to explore its underbelly bringing with it some inspired visuals. Pulling on its folklore connections gives the final minutes of the film a flair which certainly leaves the audience questioning what happens next for The Woods family.
Verdict
Though The Cellar doesn’t break any new ground, it’s inspired visuals and strong cast make it a must-watch for any horror movie night.
⭐⭐⭐
