Director
Eli Roth

Stars
Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Kyle MacLachlan and Owen Vaccaro
Looking for a little cinematic adventure this school holidays? Look no further than The House With A Clock In Its Walls.

Set in Michigan in 1955, this is the story of Lewis Barnavelt; a recently orphaned boy sent to live with his estranged, eccentric Uncle Jonathan (Jack Black). Arriving at Jonathan’s spooky, if not ostentatious, home, Lewis soon learns that there are more to his Uncle’s eccentricities than meets the eye. After being introduced to Jonathan’s best friend Mrs. Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett), Lewis discovers that Jonathan is a Warlock and Mrs. Zimmerman a Witch and both are working tirelessly to unlock the enchanted secrets within the house. What transpires next is a joining of these three misfits in a quest to save the world from a villainous zombie.  Does all of this sound a little crazy? Of course it does, but that’s the point and it’s what makes this little tale fun for the whole family.

Jack Black is in unsurprisingly in his element in this film, and Cate Blanchett is proving more and more frequently that she’s not afraid to show her lighter side. Owen Vaccarro is wonderful as young Lewis and really holds his own alongside these seasoned veterans. The trio work superbly together and the banter between Black and Blanchett could be a film on its own.

There were plenty of ‘laugh out loud’ moments throughout The House With A Clock In Its Walls, and I’m not ashamed to say that you’re never too old to laugh at a giant topiary lion, pooping leaves onto unsuspecting guests.  There are also elements of the film that were definitely a bit creepy and could get the hairs on the back of your neck standing up; not surprising given the Director (Eli Roth) is responsible for films that include Cabin Fever and Hostel. Given this fact, it’s a film that might not suit real littlies, but it will be a real hoot for the older kids and tweens…and who am I kidding, parents will love it too.

I went into this movie not knowing what to expect, hoping it would be somewhere around the mark of one of Jack Black’s other recent outings in this genre (Goosebumps), but I was pleasantly surprised when it exceeded that benchmark. This is a quirky film with a lot of charm, and one that should be on the ‘must see’ list for families this school holidays.

4 stars

Trailer
THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS

Moviedoc thanks Entertainment One for the invite to the screening of this film.

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