The House With A Clock In Its Walls did not get great reviews on IMDb. It was the film showing at AMC IMax, which is included in my A-List subscription. The film looked mildly interesting to me, so I second guessed the ratings and gave it a try. The aggregate score is pretty accurate. Maybe even generous.
Lewis Barnavelt (Owen Vaccaro) is an awkward kid who was recently orphaned. He has been sent to Michigan to live with his strange uncle, Jonathan (Jack Black). Jonathan has an equally odd neighbor, Florence Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett) who spends an inordinate amount of time at the Barnavelt house. She and Jonathan appear to be hiding secrets. The house itself appears to have secrets, which includes a countdown clock hidden deep in the bowels of the rustic house. Lots of inanimate objects in the house are prone to be animated. The chair, the stained glass window, the suit of armor, even the pumpkins. It is an odd house occupied by odd people. That doesn't translate so well at school, where Lewis struggles to find his place. In his attempt to fit in, Lewis mistakenly unleashes Isaac Izard (Kyle MacLachlan) on the world. Lewis must overcome his own doubts and uncertainty to become indomitable.
This film is a slightly darker version (although geared toward younger audiences) of every other awkward kid movie. The film has a few sight gags and laugh lines, mostly involving potty humor. The humor is not that funny. It's silly, and younger children will likely laugh heartily. Adults will likely groan as I did. The dialogue was predictable, but not terrible. The characters were mildly intriguing although a bit contrived. They become an ad hoc family of misfits who have all lost their other family members in some form or another. The plot delves into a deep topic, but fumbles it. There were some decent plot elements that worked for me. The pacing was okay, but the story felt choppy at times. It's not a bad story, it just didn't tread much new ground.
Owen Vaccaro is the son in the Daddy's Home films. He has several films in the works, which surprises me. He is a good kid, but hasn't done anything that has impressed me yet. However, I have read that during his early auditions, he had memorized all the parts and could have read for any of them. That explains a lot. He is solid. A kid willing to put in the work is going to get work. I am a huge fan of Jack Black, although his films are often hit or miss. Black was right for this role, adding what he could to a two-dimensional character. Cate Blanchett is awesome. She is a solid presence in this film, lending veteran stability to somewhat frivolous, silly story. The casting helped elevate this film for me.
The House With A Clock In Is Walls is rated PG by the MPAA. The film has a bit of potty humor, some scary elements, talk of death and necromancy and some scary imagery. This film is geared toward tween audiences. It might be a bit too much (nightmares) for young viewers, but more mature children, tweens and older should be fine. The dark topics in this film are mostly glossed over. Use your judgment with younger children. If they are good with Goosebumps, they should be fine with this film. The movie has a run time of one hour, 44 minutes.
The House With A Clock In Its Walls is a Halloween season film geared toward younger audiences. The film has plenty of flaws, but has some value at its core. The characters are intriguing, although a bit flat. The story doesn't tread any new ground and has a choppy delivery. Yet there were a few mild, but decent twists. The potty humor will induce groans from adults and giggles from younger viewers. The story is forgettable, but might be a Halloween film younger viewers can stream on future Halloweens without inducing nightmares. Unless they are prone to nightmares, in which case I would suggest you steer clear. Overall, this film was not worth seeing in the theater but worth a mild recommendation. 6/10.
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