Shocking! Eli Roth actually made a good movie! Sure there are a few trademark Roth touches that detract from the film. The topiary beast with diarrhea, for example, is textbook Eli Roth, stupid, gross, and unnecessary. (In case you aren’t quite gleaning the inference, here, I’m not a fan of Eli Roth’s work.) But overall THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS is delightful. Perhaps Mr. Roth should stick to making family-friendly films. The imposed structure of a rated PG movie seems to keep him from indulging his creative whims and ruining the project upon which he is working.
Because both feature Jack Black in the lead role and both are fright-based yet kid-friendly films, I tended to conflate the GOOSEBUMPS movies and this one. And tonally there are similarities, with all three being visually impressive, FX-heavy fare. Even so, the plot of THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS is distinct. Plus it has Cate Blanchett. And Kyle MacLachlan. It’s great to see Agent Cooper back in action in the role of a zombie mad scientist, working a scheme that wouldn’t be out of place in an episode of TWIN PEAKS. I won’t give it away for the sake of those who haven’t seen the movie, but suffice it to say it involves a clock in the walls of the house. I’m betting you could have put that together all on your own, given enough time.