The Curse Of Hobbes House takes a classic horror story, undead rising, and adds new twists and turns to make it a standout horror film.
The Curse Of Hobbes House is a horror film with a classic story attached to it. Which story? That of the rising undead. We see this a lot in the horror movie genre, but The Curse Of Hobbes House adds some twists and turns that make it almost feel like something completely new. An interesting take on the genre, and a movie that had me intrigued from beginning to end, this is a must watch for zombie fans.
As this film starts off we feel bad for Jane Dormant, played by Mhairi Calvey. She has lost her job, been evicted, and is living in her car when she learns that her Aunt has passed away. Jane travels to Hobbes House, a spooky mansion in the middle of nowhere (because of course it is) for the reading of the will.
Things get interesting there when she comes face to face with her half-sister, Jennifer, played by Makenna Guyler. It is immediately obvious that these two do not get along. However, it seems like a lot more than sibling rivalry. Later on, the full story is revealed, but I am not going to spoil it for you.
With them is the groundskeeper, Naser. Then a massive storm hits, cutting the house off from any outside help. As if things couldn’t get any worse, the dead start to rise, and they aren’t happy. Turns out they are called guardians, and they remain bound to the property and kill any human who is on it.
The Undead Rising Is Nothing New But….
Sounds sort of familiar, right? The dead rise, stormy weather, no way to contact outside help… But even though the pieces of a classic zombie tale are in The Curse Of Hobbes House, it is so much more than that. The look of the zombies themselves is a bit different. They have spooky glowing eyes, which seems like an easy enough addition to the undead creatures. Trust me when I say this works, and it ups the creepy factor a few notches.
One of my favorite parts about this movie is we get the backstory on these zombies. Usually if there is an explanation in a film, it is brief. But this origin story for the guardians feels original and intriguing. Again, keeping my mouth shut on this one so you can enjoy the film with fresh eyes, but be ready for it!
Girl Power
Another thing that I love about this movie is the team up of the two sisters. Sure, it is nothing but predictable, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to watch. Jane is the more hardened of the two, and Jennifer is my girl — somewhat of a social media celebrity. So you know I felt a little sympathy for her.
Watching the two sisters squash their beef and team up together to take on a horde of the undead is oddly satisfying. Maybe it is because I have a sister, or because I have two daughters. But these moments really brought some heart into the movie for me.
While there are some men in this story, Nasar and Nigel, they didn’t take the forefront of the film for me. Yes, they are there. Yes, they have important moments, but the film still focuses very much on the sisters, which I appreciated.
Predictable But Fun
Like I said a lot of what happens in this movie is predictable. There is a certain person I didn’t trust from the very beginning, and it turns out, with good reason. It is zombie movie so you know either zombies are going to take over the world, or they will be stopped. More or less.
This section is hard to write because I don’t want to give spoilers, so I will just warp it up with letting you know that likely you will figure out the majority of this film as you watch it, however, there will be some things you don’t see coming. And the fun and wild ride will be worth it.
Overall Thoughts
The Curse Of Hobbes House is a zombie horror flick, yes, but it brings a lot more to the table than you might think. With twists, turns, and some girl power in the mix, it is certainly at least worth a try. Plus, it is less than an hour and a half.
Is it a perfect movie? Of course not. It is clearly lower budget, but honestly, I like that in a horror flick. The story has some predictable aspects to it, but also some unforeseen twists. Take it for what it is, a fun, creepy, and a little bit heartwarming zombie horror movie. If you do that, you are sure to enjoy it.
About The Curse Of Hobbes House
After the death of her Aunt, Jane Dormant travels to the family’s remote, ancestral home hoping to receive a large inheritance. When Jane’s estranged, half-sister Jennifer arrives at Hobbes House to claim her part of the estate, the sisters’ simmering hate ignites. But then a violent, unexpected storm cuts the estate off from outside help and a wave of bloodthirsty zombies lays siege. Now the sisters have to learn how to fight back together.
The Curse Of Hobbes House arrives on DVD December 15th.
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Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.