The Witch in the Window (2018) Review – A Sentimental and Slow-Burning Haunting

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we will be reviewing a bit of an unusual horror – Andy Mitton’s The Witch in the Window.

Slow burning horror drama

The Witch in the Window follows the story of Simon and his son Finn. Simon and Finn have a somewhat complicated relationship. Simon is away from home much of the time leaving Finn with his mum. Finn has developed some behavioural issues. These include looking at dubious content on the internet. Simon offers to take Finn along with him as he renovates a house, intending to improve the home before flipping it for profit. It isn’t long before the pair realise that the house hides a sordid past.

“While you do get all of that with The Witch in the Window, you also get a whole bunch of family drama and character development. The horror is content to sit in the back seat as the story develops.”

As you can probably tell, this is fairly standard horror stuff. A familiar haunted house set up doesn’t conjure up much in the imagination department. You go into this movie expecting bumps in the night and sightings of shadowy figures.

While you do get all of that with The Witch in the Window, you also get a whole bunch of family drama and character development. In fact, I would go as far as to say that there is a Lifetime Movies/Hallmark quality to The Witch in the Window. The horror is content to sit in the back seat as the story develops.

Definitely not for all horror fans

While slow-paced horror isn’t a bad thing, I do like to bring attention to this approach. It is, most definitely, not for everyone. These movies sometimes offer more than they can deliver when it comes to scares. The slow burn style is designed to brew the tension gradually. If the tension is never realised, the horror aspect fades away completely. The Witch in the Window does a pretty good job of avoiding that fate. There is a palpable sense of tension and foreboding throughout. It never really manages to deliver on the visual front, though. This is something we will get into later.

The story here is the main focus and it is a familiar one. Simon and Finn seem to be somewhat distant. We learn that Simon is away from home much of the time. Him and his wife, Beverly, are dealing with a waning relationship. Finn seems to be going through the usual things teenage boys go through. It is clear he could use his dad’s influence and that he cares deeply about his dad.

The Witch in the Window places relatable familial issues under the microscope. We see Finn and Simon’s father-son relationship grow and develop. They work through their issues and learn more about each other. It is sentimental and rather touching.

“The slow burn style is designed to brew the tension gradually. If the tension is never realised, the horror aspect fades away completely. The Witch in the Window does a pretty good job of avoiding that fate.”

Their interactions feel very organic and the scenario feels believable. While not typical of horror, the engaging story makes the pair easy to root for. You want to see them succeed. You want them to overcome the tribulations thrown at them by life and the house.

A few effective scares

The scares come by way of errant reflections in windows and mirrors. The pair hear tapping on the walls and creaks in the room. On top of this, there are strange issues with the house’s heating and electrical supply. It’s fairly standard stuff for haunted house horror. A neighbour who has lived in the area for a long time warns the pair.

He is aware of the history of the house and offers exposition – a reason for the viewer to engage in the character’s fear. The result is pretty effective. The setups to the scares here are well done. It’s easy to buy into the character’s apprehension around the house. Diligent viewers will also be rewarded for watching the backgrounds. It’s not until the movie presents us with a physical antagonist that it starts to come undone.

The Witch in the Window‘s attempts at being a full blown horror don’t really work. The low budget and questionable character design choices undermine the level of threat. A farcical attempt at making a, rather normal looking, person scary baffles. Did someone look at this character and actually think it worked? The result looks like something out of a British comedy series. Jump scare attempts are fairly lacklustre. It’s someone disappointing and adds to the feeling of the horror being an afterthought.

Plenty to praise

There is plenty to praise here, though. Acting is fantastic throughout. Alex Draper, as Simon, and Charlie Tacker, as Finn, are both great. They have a believable and relatable father-son dynamic and both feel very natural. Greg Naughton, as neighbour Louis, has some decent moments of interesting plot building. It’s all just, generally, really well done. Cinematography is excellent, especially given the low budget. I felt the 2:1 aspect ratio fit well. Shots are allowed to linger and the camera is not at all antsy.

Pacing is okay, though things do drag a bit in the final third. The movie is nicely directed with some clever shots and solid continuity. By the final 20 minutes the movie is in full domestic drama swing. We know the characters well and the plot starts to give way to a little more horror.

“Excellent acting, an engaging story and some effective tension make it worth a watch. It slips up when it tries too hard to scare the viewer, but it remains a decent movie.”

The final parts of the movie offer a few effectively creepy scenes. They also have their fair share of ridiculous ones that feel very out of place. The movie’s sentimental, non-typical, ending may leave a few people unsatisfied. It feels grimly fitting, though, after the journey we shared with Finn and Simon.

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.

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