Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageThe House of Wax (2005)
Director: Jaume Serra
Movie review
From Time Out London
Horror is no stranger to lifeless replicas these days – you can barely swing an axe without hitting a dead-eyed knock-off of one of the genre’s established titles – but this agreeably daft chop-’em-up has a smidge more vim than many recent remakes. Nominally modelled on the 1953 Vincent Price shocker (itself based on a 1933 picture), it takes the central conceit of wax-encased murder victims and yokes it to an off-the-peg teens-in-peril-in-redneck-backwater slasher plot that offers not one but two sets of twins – the killers and the last kids standing (Chad Michael Murray and Elisha Cuthbert, best known as ‘24’s’ own Penelope Pitstop, Kim Bauer). Although glibly sadistic and wholly predictable, it’s played tongue-in-cheek and offers some relishably macabre flourishes: an embalmed movie audience, Paris Hilton being gruesomely impaled (again), apparatus resembling a spray-on tan machine designed by Heath Robinson, plus an almost surrealist climax demonstrating why people who live in wax houses shouldn’t have basement furnaces.Author: BW
Time Out London Issue 1814: May 25-June 1 2005
User reviews of this film
-
- BRYAN said...
- Posted on Aug 03 2009 06:34 its amazing film!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Report as inappropriate
-
- Blaire said...
- Posted on May 30 2009 21:58 It's...funny :D Not really scary. I was laughing all the time. Very unrealistic. Still good enough to watch it with friends :P
- Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Jaume Serra
Producer: Joel Silva, Robert Zemeckis, Susan Levin
Cast: Elisha Cuthbert, Jared Padalecki, Jon Abrahams, Damon Herriman, Paris Hilton, Chad Michael Murray, Brian Van Holt, Robert Ri'chard full cast
Genre(s): Horror
Rated: 15
Duration: 110 mins
UK Release: May 27 2005
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'
Stephen Poliakoff’s ‘Glorious 39’ is his first film for cinema since ‘Food of Love’ in 1997. Dave Calhoun met him
Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?
How does a film go from DIY experiment to box-office smash? 'Paranormal Activity' director Oren Peli explains
Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'
We talk to Steven Soderbergh about his two forthcoming films: one featuring a porn star, the other a chubby Matt Damon
A gateway to all things 'New Moon'
In anticipation of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon', Time Out is offering the chance to pick up a limited edition pack with three exclusive magazines and a free poster.
London Children's Film Festival
Read our exclusive reviews of films playing at the 2009 London Children’s Film Festival
The films that deserve a TV spin-off
With Roland Emmerich suggesting he'd like to make a '2012' TV spin-off, we propose some more movie-to-TV serialisations
The Coen brothers discuss 'A Serious Man'
Masters of contrary comedy, Joel and Ethan Coen have struck gold again with their latest, ‘A Serious Man’
Michael Haneke discusses 'The White Ribbon'
Dave Calhoun met with Michael Haneke in Munich to mull over the details of his Palme d'Or winner, 'The White Ribbon'
Ten inspirations behind 'Avatar'?
Time Out ponders the influences behind James Cameron's anticipated space-opera on the basis of the trailer
Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam
In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations
What do you think?
Post your review now