Movie Review: The House With a Clock in Its Walls 10-9-25
Ten-year-old orphan Lewis goes to live with his oddball uncle in a creaky old house that contains a mysterious ticktock noise. He soon learns that Uncle Jonathan and his feisty neighbor, Mrs. Zimmerman, are powerful practitioners of the magic arts. When Lewis accidentally awakens the dead, the town's sleepy facade suddenly springs to life: Revealing a secret and dangerous world of witches, warlocks and deadly curses.
The House With a Clock in its Walls is a fun homage to 80s Amblin movies with a mostly engaging story, impressive visual effects, fantastic production design that really recaptures the 1950s, a good score from Nathan Barr, and a relatable protagonist.
The acting in this movie is also really good, especially with Jack Black as Jonathan and Cate Blanchett as Mrs. Zimmerman. Whenever the two are onscreen, they always try to insult one another.
If I were to make a nitpick, I don’t like Tarby Corrigan, the popular kid at Lewis’s school. He’s not that nice to Lewis and punches him in a private area at one point! Not to mention that he’s the one who encouraged Lewis to grab a forbidden book from Jon’s vault.
In conclusion, while it has its flaws, The House With a Clock in Its Walls is an amiable film to watch during the Halloween season. Just be warned that the movie is too scary for single-digit kids.
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5.
