The People in the Walls

Filmmakers Michael and Gerald Crum deliver a haunting and thrilling movie that fits nicely into the “Stranger Things” era of horror filmmaking.

Rachel (Mckenna Smith) is a traumatised teen who witnessed her friend Becca (Aleena Heritage) experience a gruesome death following a viral craze which invites The People in the Walls to come out. After moving home and trying to fit in with a new set of friends (who have also had some run-ins with the wall people), Rachel becomes determined to take these monsters head on.

Told with an impressive depth for darkness, The People in the Walls is a horror film that manages to smartly combine the worlds of childhood nightmares with adult horror. Often we see this balance completely missed by filmmakers, with horror films misfiring when attempting to tell stories about bogeymen. The story from Gerald Crum perfectly captures that innate fear all children experience of what’s lurking in their very own home. The creepiness factor turns up to eleven by the final third of the film, with a brilliantly delivered spooky finale.

Impressive performances come in the form of Rachel’s parents (played by Cassi Colvin and Danny Boaz) who navigate the world of troubled mum and dad expertly. Mckenna Smith is also terrific in the lead role, especially when in scenes with her mum and dad. Sections where she is with the other child actors so sometimes lack the quality of delivery, with lines coming off a little wooden and theatrical. That being said, there’s a wonderful chemistry between Rachel and her two new friends Nancy (Natalia Santacoloma) and Chris (Cole Crum).

The People in the Walls is broken into chapters, perhaps with the idea of a series being part of the original plan, and this gives the movie a sense of horror storytelling. The whole piece feels akin to a Goosebumps book but with a harder edge for the scary bits, with jump scares aplenty. The use of darkness was particularly impressive, such as an earlier scene where a toy gets dragged into the blackness, which happens later on in the movie too. Plaudits are due to Adam Anthis who handled the sound, so essential in horror filmmaking, as this was excellent and made sure the film felt professionally scary.

With such enduring themes and a penchant for horror filmmaking, the Crums have excelled in bringing this spooky story to life. Fans of the genre will be able to gorge on the feast of scares and connect with well-drawn characters.

Watch the Video Film Review of The People in the Walls by Chris Olson