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After accumulating over 50 million followers on TikTok (under the name Kallmekris), Kris Collins makes her feature directorial debut with the found footage horror film \u201cHouse on Eden.\u201d The social media personality, who wrote and co-produced the film, stars alongside fellow content creator and friend Celina Myers (known as CelinaSpookyBoo). The two play paranormal vloggers who, along with their videographer (Jason-Christopher Mayer), investigate an abandoned house in the woods. Borrowing heavily from \u201cThe Blair Witch Project\u201d\u2014to the point where it could almost be considered a reboot\u2014the film delivers a few scares but ultimately fails to provide a satisfying ending.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s easy to see why Collins and Myers have a combined 78 million followers. The two are entertaining to watch, and \u201cHouse of Eden\u201d is a commendable first effort, especially since the story was brainstormed at 2 AM in Collins\u2019 living room and the writer-director has no filmmaking background. It\u2019s better than several movies I\u2019ve seen over the years, made by experienced filmmakers.<\/p>\n
Kris (Collins), the group\u2019s leader, tells her co-host, Celina (Myers), and cameraman Jay (Mayer) that she has a surprise for them. Instead of doing a planned investigation at a cemetery, the group will check out a reported haunted mansion called the House on Eden, where a woman disappeared sixty years ago. This doesn\u2019t sit well with her partners, who had no time to prepare.<\/p>\n
To reach the location, they have to hike through the woods, which results in plenty of \u201cDid you see\/hear that?\u201d moments as they find signs of recent activity nearby. The tension builds once the sun sets and the investigators arrive at the Southern Gothic mansion, which appears to be in perfect condition, despite lacking electricity and running water.<\/p>\n
Not satisfied with a run-of-the-mill haunting, Collins incorporates several horror tropes, including witchcraft, possession, and satanism. Yet, none of these themes pan out. There are a couple of good jump scares, and the film, shot by Mayer and Adam Myers, looks good. However, just as it begins to show potential, the storyline darts off in a different direction.<\/p>\n
Inspired by \u201cHereditary\u201d and \u201cCreep,\u201d according to Collins, who wanted to pay homage to her favorite horror films, the most significant influence is undoubtedly 1999\u2019s \u201cThe Blair Witch Project,\u201d directed by filmmakers Daniel Myrick and Eduardo S\u00e1nchez. The found-footage film, which became a cultural phenomenon, saturates every frame of \u201cEden\u201d to the point that it\u2019s distracting. Instead, we\u2019re left with what resembles a cross between an episode of a paranormal reality television show and a partially finished film.<\/p>\n
The ending is missing as the film attempts to leave you with a shocking finale that stays with you for days, or forever, as in \u201cBlair Witch,\u201d but it just ends up leaving the viewer confused. The ideas and aesthetics are interesting; had this been labeled as a reboot of Myrick and S\u00e1nchez\u2019s thriller, modernized for the TikTok age, the execution would be more effective. Maybe it\u2019s a promising start for the content creator if Kris Collins sticks with it. She\u2019s got an audience on a platform that launched the careers of many of today\u2019s musical artists.<\/p>\n
(2 stars)<\/p>\n
Now showing in theaters<\/p>\n
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