The House With a Clock in Its Walls

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The House With a Clock in Its Walls

PG

Released Sep 21, 2018

1h 45m

Fantasy

Adventure

Mystery & Thriller

Comedy

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Popcornmeter

65%

Tomatometer

219 Reviews

45%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Ten-year-old 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.

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Critics Consensus

An entertaining PG detour for gore maestro Eli Roth, The House with a Clock in Its Walls is a family-friendly blend of humor and horror with an infectious sense of fun.

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Ben Sachs

Chicago Reader

Jack Black (playing the uncle) and Cate Blanchett (as his best friend and partner in magic) are usually welcome screen presences, but they seem embarrassed and undirected here, and the less said about the child actors, the better.

Mar 4, 2020

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Emily Yoshida

New York Magazine/Vulture

I found my attention wandering.

Jan 7, 2019

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Chris Stuckmann

ChrisStuckmann.com

I feel like Eli Roth kind of revitalized himself with this picture...I'd love to see what else he can do with this kind of film.

Rated: B

Sep 28, 2018

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Calum Cooper

Source (Scotland)

Not only does it see weirdness as something to celebrate, but it, through many of its characters, assures young audiences not to fret over the past.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 14, 2024

Full Review

Mike Thorn

Vague Visages

Emerging from a preceding filmography of viciously abrasive and almost ceaselessly offensive films, The House with a Clock in Its Walls sees Roth re-examining his interest in genre cinema.

Dec 12, 2023

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr Podcast

While the film is more focused on men than women (like the book), Jack Black and Cate Blanchett make a surprisingly compelling comedic team. While some of the jokes are pretty juvenile, the flights of fancy make this a spooky good time.

Rated: 3.5/5

Oct 3, 2023

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TROY S

Good cast, good special effects & interesting storyline, yet it lacked story depth & attention to story details. If had been done right, the story could have been better than mediocre. First and foremost this story is about 3 people in search for love, family and finding where one belongs.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/20/24

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Leonardo E

This is the shittiest movie I have seen in my life! I was confused the entire time, and it sucked.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/17/24

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Garrett K

For kids (around middle school age?) it's a great watch! A very wholesome film for the family. For adults the writing and story could be sub-par, but nothing in it a kid won't find fascinating. There are some jumpy-type scares and some pretty creepy moments but I think it'll be a very memorable movie that'll have their imaginations running. If I were a kid who watched this and grew up I believe I'd look back on this film similarly to how I now remember Monster House. A classic Halloween movie which definitely creeped me out and scared me but I stuck around because of the interesting mystery and the unique characters and world. I remember it fondly as a part of my childhood and I would've definitely with this movie.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/30/24

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Justin F

Pompous critics really need to go away and learn to enjoy lighthearted films. This movie was a lovely and amusing tale with minor jump scares and creepy but well designed automatons! Anyone who hates this film needs to reconnect with their inner child and calm down 😭

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/24/24

Full Review

nintendo s

I don't get the hatred around this film. There are things wrong with it like some acting and poop jokes. But next to that you have amazing visuals. The film has scary and exciting moments that may get a scare out of some children. Not a great comedy, but an amazing children horror.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/01/24

Full Review

Nate C

The House with a Clock in Its Walls tries to blend fantasy, adventure, and horror elements, but the end result feels muddled and lacking in coherence. Despite the talented cast, including Jack Black and Cate Blanchett, the film fails to fully engage the audience and falls short of its potential. It's a disappointing entry in the genre that doesn't quite hit the mark.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

11/15/23

Full Review

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Eli Roth

Director

Jack Black

Jonathan Barnavelt

Cate Blanchett

Florence Zimmerman

Owen Vaccaro

Lewis Barnavelt

Kyle MacLachlan

Isaac Izard

Renée Elise Goldsberry

Selena Izard

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The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Raising The Dead

2:58

The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - What A Little Weird Can Do

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The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Betrayal of the Living Dead

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The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - The House Likes You

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The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Smashing Pumpkins

1:36

The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Stopping The Clock

3:14

The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Broken Magic

4:04

The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - I'm A Warlock

3:11

The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Now I'm Indomitable

2:15

The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Baby Jonathan

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The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Behind the Scenes - BabyJack

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The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Behind the Scenes - A lot of Clocks

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The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Trailer 2

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Synopsis

Ten-year-old 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.

Director: Eli Roth
Producer: Bradley J. Fischer, James Vanderbilt, Eric Kripke
Screenwriter: Eric Kripke
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Mythology Entertainment
Rating: PG (Rude Humor|Language|Thematic Elements|Scary Images|Some Action|Sorcery)
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Mystery & Thriller, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 21, 2018, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 27, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $68.5M
Runtime: 1h 45m
Sound Mix: DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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