Housebound (2014)

Contains New Zealand horror comedy spoilers.

A troubled young woman, attempts to steal the safe from an ATM, confined to her house she finds out that there may be more to her mother claims that their house is haunted.

What's starts out as seemingly haunted house flick turns into something totally different, reminiscent of The People Under the stairs mixed with Ghost Adventures. Those comparisons are probably not giving director Gerard Johnston's film the credit it deserves. As while it borrows other genre elements it turns them on its head like the low budget Undead (2003) or Severance (2006) it becomes something quite original. It's a tightly constructed black comedy horror with some genuine laugh out loud moments and jump scares.

Bloody and creepy in places this part mystery story set mostly in one house it's a boy who cried wolf tale in some respects, or girl in this case, as no one believes Kylie's claims apart from a security contractor, Amos.

Morgana O'Reilly is exceptional as Kylie Bucknell, the rebellious ASBO teen who has been tagged and confined to her home after a botched robbery. The small cast ensemble are outstanding with Cameron Rhodes channelling a mix of Jim Broadbent and Randy Quaid. Rima Te Wiata as Kylie's mum Miriam is particularly notable.

Praise should also be given to Johnston's writing as Morgana's character Kylie doesn't scare easily and isn't a victim, this with a few story tweaks puts a breath of fresh air into the often stale haunted-house/slasher genre.