Review: THE HOUSE AT THE END OF TIME — FilmQuest Festival

I went into The House at The End of Time (La casa del fin de los tiempos) knowing very little about it, which is one of the many reasons I love going to festivals like FilmQuest. The movie is classic horror at its very best. Even its lighter moments are underlined with a tension that cuts to your heart in the third act. The pacing and story from writer-director Alejandro Hidalgo do not feel like a debut film, but that of a seasoned storyteller.

The House at The End of Time has an emotional performance by Ruddy Rodríguez as Dulce that anchors the whole film. Dulce is a mother who is put in prison for 30 years after the death of her husband and the disappearance of her oldest son. The key mysteries of the film are the creepy old house and the apparitions that Dulce sees.

The film starts with the climax, and then the story splits between two time periods — 1981 and 2011 — and gives just enough clues to keep you guessing. When the mystery is finally revealed, the story is strong enough that it still holds a lot of tension.

Aided in 1981 by a fortune teller and in 2011 by a priest, the movie circles classic horror tropes, but the way each is used is fresh enough to be original. The only weak point of the whole film is the age makeup, which looks good about 90% of the time.

The movie's two other central characters are Dulce's sons Leopoldo (Rosmel Bustamante) and Rodrigo (Héctor Mercado) who exist in what almost feels like another film until you learn the truth of what's at play. In horror movies kids can often be creepy, but these brothers are truly endearing and you become very concerned about their well-being.

The House at The End of Time is ultimately very fun and, unlike other horror movies, won't leave you looking over your shoulder at night. Unless you're allergic to fear, add this film to your must-watch list. I can't wait to see what Hidalgo will do next.