Luke McWilliams gives his review of the 2019 slasher film, Haunt, starring Katie Stevens and Lauryn McClain.

In regional Illinois on Halloween night, Harper (Katie Stevens) is being harassed by her abusive boyfriend via her mobile phone. Harper’s roommate Bailey (Lauryn McClain) persuades her to go to a Halloween-themed party. Meeting up with more friends, the group decide to visit a remote haunted house.

October is the month of Halloween, a holiday celebrated to excess in America, in parts of the UK and Europe, and exported globally through cinema. 1978’s Halloween kicked off not only a horror franchise still alive and kicking today, but a slasher tradition of movies set around, and released in, Halloween season.

Haunt ticks all the boxes for a fright-fest: young, good-looking college students out drinking and getting up to no good on Halloween. Once the privileged group veer toward the city outskirts, they face a deadly culture clash a la The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

From the writers of A Quiet Place and produced by Eli Roth, the movie is surprisingly straight and brutal. There are no tongue-in-cheek homages to the genre and no laughs to be had amongst the steady ratcheting of suspense and some unexpectedly graphic payoffs. Our young cast must competently navigate each room of this haunted house that represents their deepest fears whilst battling masked silent slashers. Unlike other slasher movies, however, once our nasties are unmasked, the horror only deepens.

Verdict: A surprisingly straight and effective slasher thriller that highlights the importance of facing, and overcoming, one’s personal demons. 3.5 stars. Happy Halloween!

Haunt is streaming on Netflix.

Luke McWilliams | themovieclub.net

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