Netflix Supernatural Horror Comedy Is A Blast For The Whole Family

As its name would imply, Monster House is about a spooky house, specifically the house of Horace Nebbercracker, the cantankerous old man who terrorizes kids who get too close to his home. After Horace has a heart attack, people begin disappearing into the house never to be seen again.

Three neighborhood kids investigate the house, learning that it’s possessed by a human spirit, giving it sentience. 

While Monster House has its fair share of jokes and comedic moments, it takes its horror premise at face value.

With the home itself as the movie’s primary antagonist and a dark, dramatic backstory, it captures the feel of a genuine gothic horror story. It’s at its best when it leans into that darkness, either for horror purposes or for emotional catharsis. 

Released in 2006, Monster House was a moderate success, with a descent critical response and box office success.

Earning $141.9 million on a budget of $75 million the movie was a box office success, but far from a smash hit.  It received a 75% on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics being divided on its writing in particular. 

The voice cast of Monster House is filled with noteworthy actors, particularly in its supporting cast. The central characters, D.J., Chowder, and Jenny are played by Mitchel Musso, Sam Lerner, and Spencer Locke respectively.

Its star-studded supporting voice cast includes Steve Buscemi, Kathleen Turner, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kevin James, Nick Cannon, Jon Heder, Jason Lee, Fred Willard, and Catherine O’Hara. 

While celebrity voice casting doesn’t always work out, Monster House has some genuinely great performances.

Steve Buscemi as Horace Nebbercracker gives a particularly great performance, selling his character as a stereotypical cranky old man early on and delivering an emotion-laden performance in the movie’s final act.

Kathleen Turner also sells her character, Constance, imbuing the role with an appropriately dramatic gravitas. 

Monster House is also noteworthy for two of its writers, Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab.

The duo would go on to produce The Sarah Silverman Program, Community, and Rick and Morty together, becoming major figures in Hollywood. They were joined in their writing duties by veteran TV writer Pamella Pettler.

While the writing and performances in Monster House have aged well, the animation is a bit more hit or miss.

The sentient house and other environmental elements look consistently amazing in the movie, giving it an appropriately spooky atmosphere. Unfortunately, the human characters often look flat and lifeless, reminding me a bit of Polar Express, particularly in moments when the characters aren’t in motion. 

The dated visuals made the movie a little hard for me to get into at first, but once the movie got into its central horror premise, I was all in. Despite the lack of horror staples like gore and extreme violence, it has genuinely unnerving moments,

like a character being lured inside by his childhood kite. I highly recommend checking Monster House out on Netflix if you’re looking for family-friendly horror.

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