The Witch Next Door

Teenager Ben (John-Paul Howard) is not at all thrilled about spending the summer with his father Liam (Jamison Jones) in a small coastal town. That he finds a girlfriend right after his arrival with Mallory (Piper Curda) makes the situation a little easier. Nevertheless, the holidays will still turn into a real summer of horror. Because after some unusual events Ben is convinced that Abbie (Zarah Mahler), the mother of the neighboring family, is a witch. But even Mallory wants to believe him. All alone, Ben now tries to find out the truth, attracting Abbie's attention - and that could have gruesome consequences for more than just him.

At once: "The Witch Next Door"is guaranteed not to win any major film awards. The script isn't exactly a spawn of originality and there are also clear weak points to be found here and there in terms of acting. Having said that, however, it must be noted: The film is entertaining as hell, and despite a manageable budget, it's really well directed. Drew and Ben Pierce don't just present their viewers with some good effects that look pleasantly handmade. They also create an atmosphere that brings back memories of some horror hits of the eighties.

In addition to the cult film "Fright Night", from which some plot elements were very obviously taken, elements from works like "Lost Boys" also find use in this entertaining work of witchcraft. And those who have seen Steven Spielberg's "The Great White Shark" several times, as I have, will surely agree that one scene is not purely coincidentally almost identical in editing to a sequence from the mother of all monster shark movies. "The Witch Next Door"feels infused with a certain nostalgia without seeming old-fashioned. The two brothers have really nailed that.

The denouement actually brings a bit of a surprise before an unfortunately somewhat conventional showdown. But even if the finale disappoints a tiny bit, the positive overall impression prevails in the end. As a fan of 80s cinema in particular, I was thoroughly entertained by "The Witch Next Door". But also fans of contemporary horror will be well served, as long as they expect small crude splatter fare or a sophisticated arthouse horror in the style of "The Witch". A definite case of: Worth Seeing!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp