PopHorror Let's Get Scared
My first viewing of The Cellar was for its SXSW 2022 premiere. However, I finally get to share my thoughts with everyone now that it’s available to watch on Shudder. The film was written and directed by Brendan Muldowney (The Pilgrimage). It stars Elisha Cuthbert (The Girl Next Door, “24?), Eoin Macken (Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, “La Brea”), Abby Fitz (“Der Irland-Krimi”), and Dylan Fitzmaurice-Brady (“Kin”).
Synopsis for The Cellar
Keira Woods’ (Elisha Cuthbert) daughter mysteriously vanishes in the cellar of their new house. She soon discovers there is an ancient and powerful entity controlling their home that she will have to face or risk losing her family’s souls forever.
Although I love all things horror, I rarely get scared by films. However if you take me to a haunted house, I’ll scream the whole way through, though. That being said, there are some creepy, unsettling films that get under my skin and that can be said for The Cellar. With this film, it’s all about the buildup. It doesn’t take long for spooky things to happen, but it’s the suspense and excitement to why all of it’s happening that drives the film.
All of the acting throughout the film was phenomenal. Intense and emotional. Elisha has had a great career and I’ve loved all of her performances, but it’s always a special treat when she stars in a horror film. In The Cellar, she plays a hardworking, badass mom, who will stop at nothing to find her daughter and the truth behind her disappearance.
Along with the story, I think the creepy aesthetic of the old house, the intense eerie soundtrack, wicked foreshadowing, bizarre symbols, and the overall haunting atmosphere really just brought everything together and created a horror thriller that will make you want to keep the lights on. The ending was wild and entertaining but I can’t say anything more without soling it. The Cellar is now available on Shudder and we highly recommend you include it in your Halfway to Halloween marathon!
