7/18/20 - The Beach House (2020) - 4/10

It is the standard scare-by-numbers that one expects, which is fine, but it lacks chemistry between the two leads, any type of legitimate engagement with any of the characters, and too much of a swift shift between supposed psychological build-up and gore horror. The opening is very cool and gives us a hint of the beginnings, but we are left with little to fascinate until the last 30 min of the 90 min feature. There are a couple body-horror-esque flourishes to hint at an unseen gooey evil, but once we are plunged into the depths of wet willies, it really doesn’t seem developed nor does it feel like an escalation; it just shifts. This “The Fog meets Cabin Fever w/ wet zombies” could lead to gripping dramatic horror, but it just doesn’t have the sea legs for that swim. Other than the oceanic embellishments, it just doesn’t really work.