★ 8 / 10
Das Haus is a thinking mans thriller, that's
MovieGuys
Das Haus is a thinking mans thriller, that's markedly better, than its inexplicably low rating, would suggest. On the surface this a straightforward…
Das Haus is a thinking mans thriller, that's markedly better, than its inexplicably low rating, would suggest.
On the surface this a straightforward psychological, horror, thriller. Scratch the surface however and you have a much more complex story about the assumptions we fill our lives and our homes with.
This is encapsulated in the widely held but ultimately deceptive belief, in the honesty, safety and security, of our lives. All of which, is played out on a micro level in the home and at a macro level, in the metaphorical home, that is our society. Both places in which we live and naively believe ourselves, safe.
In this film the safety, truth and integrity of the key protagonist's lives, their belief in each other, their friends, associates, their personal safety and their freedom to express truth to societal power, is fractured and re-assessed.
Can they stay in the home they have made for themselves or do they need to leave and find a safe heaven elsewhere? Is anywhere really safe?
In summary, a wonderfully subtle and engaging, not to mention compellingly well written film, backed b superb acting from the cast. For my money, a must see.
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★ 6 / 10
When Sci-Fi Meets Politics
sddavis63
"The house is creepy," was Lucia's comment to her husband. She was convinced that the house was out to get her. The house actually was creepy. It was an AI…
"The house is creepy," was Lucia's comment to her husband. She was convinced that the house was out to get her. The house actually was creepy. It was an AI controlled house that Johann had built. He explained to Lucia that the house didn't dislike her - it just knew him better and it would get to know her. That's all in the first few scenes and so you think that you're being set up for a sci-fi/thriller kind of movie about a smart house gone mad. But that's really not the point of the movie at all. The house is just a backdrop to what turns out to be more of a political thriller instead.It's set in Germany in the not too distant future (2029) - which gives this a sense of immediacy and, therefore, of credibility. (It's also a German movie - I watched a version with German audio and English subtitles.) Germany has been moving to the right and a far right group is expected to win an upcoming election. But there already seems to be a kind of neo-fascist state developing. Dissent isn't tolerated. Johann has lost his job as a writer for being critical of the government. Lucia is a lawyer who's defended dissidents. They're both potential targets. This smart house (on an isolated island) is their refuge. But is it a place of refuge or danger?The weaving of the AI storyline with the political is interesting because it gives the movie two current and very real fears to use as a hook - the fear of AI gone wild and the fear of the rise of the far right, which does seem to be happening throughout the western world. Having these combined into a single movie says to me that this should have been better than it turned out to be. The house was a backdrop more than anything - remembered mostly for its camera (a black dot surrounded by red that to me had a very "1984" Big Brother feel to it.) And while I understood the political warning of the film I would have liked more of a depiction of what kind of society was developing in Germany. Instead, the setting of the movie was almost completely the house, except for an opening scene in Johann's workplace. A look at the outside to get a clearer picture of what was going on would have been appreciated.The movie is lacking in colour (almost everything except the red eye of the camera) seems to be white or grey - deliberately I'm sure giving the impression of a sterile and bland and passionless society. And, really, that's my feeling about the movie as a whole. It's not bad, but it had the potential to be more than that. (6/10)
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★ 4 / 10
Familiar ground and idea done better on older films.
jordondave-28085
(2021) The House/ Das Haus (In German with English subtitles) SCIENCE FICTION POLITICAL THRILLERAdapted from the short story by Dirk Kurbjuweit, co-written and…
(2021) The House/ Das Haus
(In German with English subtitles)
SCIENCE FICTION POLITICAL THRILLERAdapted from the short story by Dirk Kurbjuweit, co-written and directed by Rick Ostermann that has husband, Johann Hellström (Tobias Moretti) and his wife,
Lucia Hellström (Valery Tscheplanowa) just arriving to their home located at an isolated island, And what is unique about the home is that it does things by command, simply by talking to it, in the same tradition as HAL from "2001: A Space Odyssey". In the midst of all of this is some militia group clashing with the gov't in regarding of a terrorist act. And it is presumed that it was a young couple by the names of Layla (Lisa Vicari) and her boyfriend, Alex (Max von der Groeben) who committed the act, except that by the time they arrive they denied they even did any such thing.A little of "Demon Seed", "2001 A Space Odyssey" and "Forbidden Planet" with no new surprises.
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80%
AUDIENCE
5.6/10
2.7K
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IMDb Storyline: THE HOUSE is based on a short story by journalist Dirk Kurbjuweit, set in a near future. It centres on the journalist JOHANN, who is banned from working by the right-wing populist government now in power in Germany and, frustrated, retreats to their luxurious and fully networked weekend home with his wife LUCIA. As political conditions in the country continue to escalate due to an alleged left-wing terrorist attack, their smarthome increasingly develops its own agenda, manipulating the couple and playing them off against each other by revealing intimate secrets. Finally, when two terrorists hunted by the regime show up at the door seeking shelter at Lucia's home, the situation in the house escalates fully as Johann realises that his wife is part of the political resistance. While Johann is still torn between his love for Lucia and the feeling of having been betrayed by her, the house itself finally takes the reins of action.