The Beach House

By: Arlene Allen

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water… No? You didn’t? It’s a good thing because there’s something in the water and it’s coming to get you! In The Beach House what starts out as a romantic getaway goes horribly wrong for two couples when they discover that they aren’t alone and that the universe has plans for them. The surf may be up, but life in this tale is definitely not beachy bliss.

Emily (Liana Liberato), a somewhat dreamy young woman who wants to be an astrobiologist, and her boyfriend Randall (Noah Le Gros) think they are getting a fun-filled weekend. However, it turns out the house is already occupied by older couple Jane (Maryanne Nagel) and Mitch (Jake Weber) and, of course, that isn’t even the worst part. “Astrobiologist” should be your first clue that whatever is taking over the ocean came from space. This is very subtle cosmic horror. Although, I think it would have worked as ecological horror – and maybe have been better for it given our current planetary situation.

Lovecraft seems to be trending these days, though, and if a film can ride the wave (so to speak) it might as well ride it, as this film does quite literally. The problem there is you have to really invest in your characters or give horror fans something to sink their teeth into right away and The Beach House, written and directed by Jeffrey A. Brown, is a bit of a slow burn. However, this is not Alien Beach Party Massacre (1996).

Once The Beach House gets going, though, it really gets going and I’ll bet you’ll never walk barefoot on a beach again. If you are not into “squishy,” you might want to skip this film now airing on Shudder. The cast does a wonderful job, especially Liberato as Emily, who may end up regretting asking for the close encounter she ends up getting. There’s a little too much talking in the beginning because this is a film that wants a “story” on top of its massive gross out ending. Overall, the cast and writer/director seem to have a good time with all of it, if at times it does take itself too seriously.

That’s where and why I think the film might have been a better turn for the film to take, rather than inexplicable whatevers from space. I’ve mentioned Lovecraft in association with the film, but sometimes I wonder if the current generation knows who Lovecraft is (at least not until Jordan Peele’s series hits the air). You try explaining “Cthulu” to a teenager or to your next-door neighbor and see how far you get, even though we never hear the “Old Gods” mentioned by name.

I know 2020 is feeling like the end of the world, but hopefully we aren’t there yet. Still, if you’re a horror fan, The Beach House’s eighty-eight minutes is a fun way to spend an afternoon or evening. Especially after we all feel like we’ve been cooped up for ages, it’s great to see the sun, sand and ocean again – even if you’ll probably never want to go near a beach after some of these scenes. In general, Shudder doesn’t disappoint and this film is no exception.