The Beach House (2019) Review – A Coastal Contamination with Mixed Results

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are taking a look at Shudder Original horror movie The Beach House.

Part survival part cosmic horror

The story follows struggling couple Emily and Randall. Trying to rekindle things by spending some time together in a gorgeous beach house, the pair are shocked to realise that a couple are already staying there. Deciding to share the location, the two couples enjoy a night of drugs and alcohol. The next day, Emily wakes up to find that everything is no longer as it seemed and something seems strangely off about the world.

“Movies featuring invasive pathogens infecting a population are rather common. The Beach House tries to do a bit of survival and cosmic horror, unfortunately falling a bit flat in both departments.”

So as you may have guessed, this is fairly basic stuff. Movies featuring invasive pathogens infecting a population are rather common. They never tend to deviate from a set norm and the genre, as a whole, is rather stale. There is, really, only so much you can do with a concept like this. You are either watching a story of survival or you are watching characters journey to escape the infection. The Beach House tries to do a bit of both, unfortunately, falling a bit flat in both departments.

Where movies like this can separate themselves is in the level of tension and the presentation of symptoms. The infection itself almost always spreads in one of a few ways. In the case of The Beach House, it is via a thick fog rolling through the area. The fog seems to consist of microbes that were once contained within rocks deep in the sea. Global warming has caused the release and spread of the microbes. The result is something that travels freely and infects on entering the body. Victims display a range of symptoms and seem to begin hosting parasitic worms.

A horror of two halves

The Beach House is a movie of two halves. The first half is something of a drama with the couples hanging out and consuming intoxicants. It’s all rather mundane, a bit cheesy, and fairly boring. In the second half, the movie quickens up and turns into more of a run of the mill survival horror.

The characters attempt to escape the fog, all the while encountering mutated victims and hazards by the bucket load. The two disparate halves may divide viewers somewhat as they are just so different. This feels, very much, like a movie at odds with itself.

Despite the similarities with other similar genre horror, this is a film that tries to set itself apart. It attempts to do this through its message. The narrative leans heavily into exposition through eco-conscious, scientist-in-waiting, Emily.

The Beach House rings the climate warning bell which is admirable on the surface but fairly hollow underneath – especially considering the environmental impact of movie production and delivery. This is a story with something to say about the damage humans are doing to the world which is somewhat different from most horror movies of this ilk.

It struggles in a few key areas

The Beach House really struggles in a number of areas, however. One of which being our protagonists. Randall and Emily are not a particularly likeable couple. Privileged and, in their own specific ways, very self-righteous, the pair are not easy to care about. Older couple Mitch and Jane offer hints at a deeper, more tragic, story but these hints, like much in The Beach House, are never expanded on.

“The Beach House really struggles in a number of areas, however. One of which being our protagonists. Randall and Emily are not a particularly likeable couple.”

This is a movie of unfinished ideas and unrealised potential. Much of that can likely be blamed on a restrictive style of filmmaking. The Beach House feels claustrophobic for its lack of scope. The 1.85:1 aspect ratio tightly frames a world that feels constricted and small.

The location is stunning but the restrictive shots of the beach fail to capture the scale of the issue at hand. When the film moves away from the house, it feels as though the director had rigidly defined boundaries to work within. Limited locations and a bland set offer a feeling of insignificance, as though the problem is confined to one small area and is barely a problem at all. This seriously sacrifices elements of tension. It also makes it clear that the budget here was likely limiting the director’s vision.

Positives but not real scares

There are positives, though. Practical effects are, generally, fantastic. Some of the mutations look suitably disgusting and the elements of body horror are particularly welcome. On top of that, character’s presentation of symptoms can be stomach turning. It’s very nicely done.

The final half an hour is particularly noteworthy for this as certain victims go through the later stages of the illness. You genuinely buy into how uncomfortable and horrific it must be. Actors really commit to making the events they are experiencing believable. It’s effective stuff.

There are no scares, as is common with movies like this but later scenes can be fairly tense. The plot is fairly compelling. There are hints at something fascinating causing the issues. Nothing is ever really expanded on, though. Much of the movie’s runtime is wasted on the group tripping balls and drinking. By the time the less than satisfying ending comes along, you are left with a distinct feeling that they ran out of time.

Solid acting, so-so direction

Acting is generally fine. I didn’t value Liana Liberato’s performance as Emily as much as other people did. I know she is a fantastic actor. She comes on towards the later part of the film but, for the most part, I felt her performance was flat – especially for a character tasked with carrying much of the movie’s weight.

“The potential for wide angle shots of gorgeous, scenic, beach vistas is wasted. Instead we have tight closeups and restricted scenic views which offer the movie a feeling of cheapness.”

Noah Le Gros, as Randall, will probably annoy people initially. His character’s slacker personality offers Noah little room to work but he really comes on well towards the end of the movie. He engages in some fantastic, and thoroughly believable, physical acting. Jake Weber, as Mitch, does a great job, as always, and Maryann Nagel is absolutely fine. She also has some very effective moments of physical performance that are impactful.

Cinematography was a bit of a mixed bag. I hate the 1.85:1 aspect ratio for this type of film! The potential for wide angle shots of gorgeous, scenic, beach vistas is wasted. Instead we have tight closeups and restricted scenic views. I think it really offers the movie a feeling of cheapness – like a Hallmark production or made-for-TV horror movie. Directing was okay. Pacing was a bit messy. A lumbering opening 45 minutes suddenly hits full speed and doesn’t let up. It’s a bit uneven. I noticed a lot of continuity issues throughout, as well. All in all, its a bit of a mixed bag.

Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight

Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.