Never Open the Door

Never Open the Door

When six friends get together to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner they think they're in for a good time with lots of food. When an unexpected knock at the door brings in an uninvited guest, their relaxing night turns into a nightmarish fight for survival. 

From the opening title sequence I could already tell I was in for a good time with Never Open the Door. The film has a wonderful and spot on B-movie tone and style that was consistent throughout. It really felt like a late night flick you'd find on cable and end up watching to the end. The score tops off the tone like a cherry on top with a loud and telling horn section that has a classic sci-fi/adventure/thriller vibe reminiscent of 1950's visitors from outer space movies. 

The music dovetails nicely with the black and white cinematography and practical effects that recall Hammer horror of the 1950's and sixties. The filmmakers did their homework when it comes to classic horror/science fiction and it shows. Not only does the black and white picture add to the style the film is going for, it's also a nice symbolic reference to the good happening in all of the character's lives (weddings, babies) and the random, unpredictable evil that can takeover the lives of people in the blink of an eye. 

What is also noteworthy is not only do the filmmakers use classic horror to set the tone of Never Open the Door, but how they also bring it up to date with modern dialogue and speech patterns. The opening scene has the group of friends eating dinner and engaged in conversation. The conversation is remarkably natural sounding with constant overlapping dialogue. The whole scene has a modern improvised feeling to it and this approach, for the most part, feels noticeable throughout the film. I say that as a good thing as it made several moments truly feel spontaneous and real with actors repeating some of the same lines a few times in a row just as any one would in a surreal and distressing situation in real life. 

Once the unwanted visitor is in the house, the character of Tess (Jessica Sonneborn) begins to have startling and scary visions and this is when the melodramatic, old school horror, twisty Twilight Zone-like fun begins! There's a wonderful movie from writer/director Isaac Ezban called The Similars or Los Paracidos (find it on Netflix) that would make the perfect companion piece to Never Open the Door for a double feature. Both have a wonderfully nostalgic science fiction melodrama tone laced with an underlying horror that grips the viewer and leaves them questioning everything right up until the end credits roll. A very interesting and entertaining film.