Wow! This actually scared me!

Rating: 8/10 (13 October 2012)

I first of all did see trailers and they looked very convincing. So I went to see it with a couple of friends last night. Let me just say, you're in for something awesome. I came out really excited and actually terrified.
The story is original and very clever. Yes, we have the stereotype family move into a new home and things go wrong, but hey that's not really a bad thing. As the story goes on, you get more and more hooked to it. You find out something new each time. The tension is built beautifully. It has a very slow and uncomfortable pace. People may think it could be boring, but trust me, it isn't at all. Its not full of in your face jumps all the time, like many horror films today. The jumps happen and they stay with you to make your flesh crawl. As the twists come up, its even better. All questions are answered in a great way. The story also focuses on how obsessive the main character gets. You get a feeling that he is changing each time, which is another great thing.
The acting was very good. Everybody did a great job. Ethan Hawke especially.
There isn't much CGI in this film (yippee!) but when it is used, its used appropriately and subtly.
What also really worked was the soundtrack. Its not stereotypically high pitched or, you know, you're usual music you use. The composer uses tunes and base notes to make it very uncomfortable in a strange way. I even shuffled in my seat a couple of times and it generally scared me. This really works for the film. Well done Christopher Young, you did great.
I'm a huge horror fan and it can take a lot to actually scare me. But this one actually scared me, which I was not expecting for these days standards.
Horror fans, I really recommend this for you. Please go and see it. You're money will be well spent.