Cellar Doordelivers a compelling mystery thriller with a solid core cast that keeps the narrative moving forward. Scott Speedman, best known for his roles in theUnderworldseries of movies,Fast& Furious' Jordana Brewster, and Laurence Fishburne round out the core cast.Cellar Dooris a smaller independent production by Lionsgateand, despite not standing out and lacking in certain creative avenues, its quality and technical achievements are solid overall.
Cast
Cellar Doorfollows a married couple — John (Speedman) and Sera (Brewster) — who are desperately trying to start a family. When they tragically miscarry, they decide to move elsewhere for a new start. While their search for a house initially appears fruitless, the couple eventually meets a mysterious and eccentric older gentleman, Emmett (Fishburne), who makes them an offer they can’t refuse. They can have his enormous mansion for free on one condition: they never open the cellar door. However, the tension and mystery of this simple request leads to much bigger consequences.
Cellar Door Does Most Things Right, But It Feels Basic
Cellar Doormanages to deliver quality performances from a great leading cast. The film also has tension throughout, with concurrent yet complementary narratives. It even has a central mystery that keeps the hidden truths just out of reach. However, despite these things being executed correctly, it feels like a thriller film that was done with a paint-by-numbers template. Its technically good, but there is also a plainness about the whole thing that doesn’t go unnoticed.
The story doesn’t offer anything new or innovative, which makes it seem dull in comparison to some of the more creative offerings in the genre.
The couple suffers tragedy and their marriage is tense because of it; external factors make everything more potent, andCellar Doorbuilds from there. At the same time, its all a bit predictable. For fans ofthe thriller genre, in particular,Cellar Doorwill feel unoriginal. The story doesn’t offer anything new or innovative, which makes it seem dull in comparison to some of the more creative offerings in the genre.
It’s a real shame that the filmmaker didn’t have more confidence and bravado to really create more intense emotional moments. If the beats of the story were dialed up to 11, it’s possibleCellar Doorcould have stood out. Instead, the reveals feel hollow and empty. The twists don’t hit with any real impact and the ending feels unsatisfying. All that said, it’s not a bad movie by any means, it just had the potential to be more, and that’s where the disappointment settles in.
As An Introduction To Thrillers, Cellar Door Is A Solid Start
For fans of drama or mystery movies who have not embraced thrillers,Cellar Doorprovides a solid foundation for newcomers to the genre. Due to the film’s technical strengths, and the fact that it does adhere to many of theconventional elements found in a thriller, it will likely excite and delight those who may not watch a lot of thrillers. The performances are solid (the fact that several recognizable actors are present is a treat) and Michael Merriman’s cinematography is beautiful.
For fans of drama or mystery movies who have not embraced thrillers,Cellar Doorcould provide a solid foundation for newcomers to the genre.
There are eerie slow camera movements across empty rooms, mysterious noises coming from inside the house, and thrilling chase sequences that lead to dead ends. All of these elements make for a decent thriller and subvert audience expectations while providing an interesting twist. But if this is not your first foray into the world of thrillers,Cellar Dooris unlikely to move the needle in terms of opinions on the genre.
He Never Left Review: Isolated Slasher Brings A Nice Twist To Michael Myers Legend
James Morris' He Never Left proves to be an interesting twist on the Michael Myers legend, but unfortunately drops the ball in its final act.
And yet, with a tight runtime,Cellar Dooris a good film that hits the spot when looking for a tense story. It could have been improved with a little more polish, but it doesn’t deter us from being entertained.Cellar Doormay not provide intense emotional payoffs, ortwists that come as a complete surprise, but the actors deliver great performances, and it’s intriguing to watch as the central couple’s lives unravel.
Cellar Dooris now playing in select theaters and is available on digital. The film is 97 minutes long and rated R for sexual content, language and some violence.
Cellar Door
Cellar Door explores the mysterious experiences of a woman trapped in an enigmatic cycle of events. As she navigates through her bewildering reality, she begins to unravel the layers of her identity and existence in an unsettling narrative that interweaves elements of fantasy and psychological tension.
