‘No one escapes purgatory’
House of Purgatory is a 2016 American horror film about teens who discover a haunted house that plays on their fears.
Written and directed by Tyler Christensen.
The movie stars Anne Leighton (Cyrus: Mind of a Serial Killer; Hybrids; Grimm), Laura Coover, Brad Fry, Aaron Galvin (Die Cheerleader Die) and Brian Krause (Camel Spiders; Poseidon Rex; Plan 9).
Plot:
Four mid-west teenagers go looking for a fabled haunted house on Halloween night.
Once finding it, they slowly realise that the house is much more than a run-of-the-mill Halloween attraction – somehow the house knows each of their deepest secrets. One by one the house uses these secrets against the terrified teens, who soon find themselves in a battle to save not only their lives but also their very souls…
Reviews:
“An interesting story, a house that wants to kill you, beautiful visuals and a capable group of actors was just what this film needed to stay lit considering there isn’t any blood and guts until about an hour into the movie. And even then it’s not the goriest batch of scenes.” Horror Society
“For those feeling the Halloween blues, House of Purgatory satisfies the craving for those intense fears felt during a haunt. Blending beautiful set design with an incredibly fascinating story, House of Purgatory will be a Halloween and anytime favorite for years to come. Providing a chilling atmosphere and a tale that hits hard, this is a can’t miss film for haunt and Halloween lovers.” We Are Indie Horror
“This outing is entertaining and often unsettling. Still, the writing and the film’s morality are a bit muddy. While unfair to compare Se7en (1995) to this smaller film, Se7en and writer Andrew Kevin Walker utilize the seven deadly sins of Purgatory more consistently. The rules of Purgatory are all but forgotten in this horror entry. And, the social, or moral message of the film suffers, a bit, because of it.” 28 Days Later Analysis
“I was also pleasantly surprised that the characters were not all annoying slasher fodder that I couldn’t wait to see bite it. They were actually, for the most part, decent people who happened upon this house in the woods. There isn’t much in the way of gore, but the film makes up for that with it’s intense, creepy storytelling that had me twitching on the edge of my seat.” PopHorror.com
“The secrets revealed weren’t overly complex nor were they silly in any manner. In a way, they hit close to home to just about anybody because of how ‘real’ they were. Another strong point of the movie was the acting, as it was sincere in moments of turmoil and lax enough for the more joyous scenes.” Truly Disturbing
“Despite its limited budget, House of Purgatory demonstrates excellent world-building. A modest-looking cabin becomes a portal to an immense alternate reality, just like the wardrobe opens up into the entire universe of Narnia—except this place is none too pleasant. Using Purgatory in the film’s title is an instant indicator of its subtext, setting us up for a morality tale…” Horrorfreak News
“Imagery inside the haunted house capitalizes on the dark atmosphere and there are several creepy set-pieces such as a forest full of upside-down jack-o-lanterns hanging from tree branches. Wrapped all together though, the movie doesn’t work as well as a total package, cheapened somewhat by the less engaging plot points and distractions with the staging.” Culture Crypt
“The idea was intriguing and could make for a very entertaining franchise, if continued. There are seeds of something great. It just didn’t reach that potential. It’s not a movie to seek out but it’s also not something that would be immediately turned off. It’s okay, if you can get through that first half. House of Purgatory is an interesting, though flawed movie.” Horror News
“This film tackles issues that teens go thru in such an odd way. The ending showed me that the director had the balls to try and outsmart the viewer … Talk about a surprise film. This one comes out of left field and when it gets going, it hits you with such a cruel punch. This could be the sleeper horror film of 2016.” Wicked Channel
“House of Purgatory is one of if not the best independent horror film I have seen. It goes back to the old school way of doing things without the use of CGI effects and offers up practical effects … The use of eerie music, dark lighting and practical effects complete with terrific acting makes this a real gem of a film.” Film Fervor
“With solid acting, good-looking Halloween set pieces, and a clever script that seamlessly shifts in tone from fun to scary, the film is a great midnight watch in the dark. And if you have surround sound, all the better. It’ll sound great!” Morbidly Beautiful
Filming locations:
Ashwaubenon and Green Bay, Wisconsin
Free to watch online on YouTube:
