The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018)

I saw the trailer for The House with a Clock on Its Walls in theatres months ago but it didn't impress me that much so I decided to pass it. Then I read some nice things about it, the cast intrigued me anyways, so I checked it out as soon as it got home-released. 

The film follows Lewis Barnavelt (Owen Vaccaro), a 10-year-old boy who is sent to live with his uncle Jonathan (Jack Black) in a creaky old house after the death of his parents. Lewis soon discovers that his uncle is a warlock and his neighbour, Florence Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett), is a witch, and gets swept into a magical world that holds wonders as well as very dark secrets. 

Although there are some holes and conveniences here and there, the plot itself isn't half bad. The problem is that it takes the plot a lot of time to develop —it's only halfway through that something finally happens, and up to that point, it just feels like a long introduction to the house—, and when it begins to develop, it is so slow and not engaging. It could have been an entertaining story but, because of its execution, it only bored me.

The main character was another problem for me. I haven't read John Bellairs's novel upon which this film is based on, but I'm pretty sure it has a better main character as here Lewis is an annoying wimp that has no real reason to do what he does and that fails to evoke any sympathy whatsoever. Owen Vaccaro's performance sure doesn't help as it's easily one of the worst child performances I've seen in my short life.

Fortunately, not all the characters are the same. Uncle Jonathan is quite a quirky and mysterious man, and Jack Black, although he brings to the screen perhaps a bit too much of his own personality, gives an entertaining, fun performance. Mrs. Zimmerman is so sharp and persuasive but also deadpan and Cate Blanchett gives quite a compelling performance. There's also a nice chemistry between Black and Blanchett which makes the banter work pretty well.

Universal Pictures

As for the visual aspect, the film looks great. Although the CGI occasionally lets a bit down, the set and costume design is beautiful, the house has a pretty creepy atmosphere, and the cinematography is very colourful.

Ultimately, The House with a Clock on Its Walls didn't really work for me, but I'm pretty sure a younger audience, which actually is the film's target, would enjoy its childish humour. Not so sure about its scary scenes though.