gotskeelz Review of The House with a Clock in Its Walls

The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018)

The scariest part of this is the casting choice for Lewis.

[5/10 · 2 December 2018]

I grew up reading the John Bellairs' books. With the Edward Gorey illustrations, it appealed to the gothic/macabre genre. The themes were dark and the plot was suspenseful. I had high expectations for the movie rendition of House with a Clock in Its Walls.

As many have mentioned, the movie falls flat. There is significant deviation from the book. The themes of a struggling boy trying to fit into a new environment, coping with the loss of his parents, and trying to find security in a new environment are totally gone. The movie tries for a fantasy and comedic undertone which departs from what Bellairs' pursued in all his books (Bellairs would be turning over in his grave if he knew they put a farting lion garden shrub in his story). I'm not quite sure why they went for this approach as today's audience would have welcomed the original gothic/darker themes.

I won't belabor the point as numerous others have commented on it. The actor for portrays Lewis is atrocious. Every time he tries to show any emotion (i.e., show fear or cry), it is awful.

If you watch this movie, not knowing the book, you may be able to get through it. If you have read the book and are expecting it to follow the same themes, you will be highly let down.