“Unwelcome”

Director and co-writer Jon Wright‘s “Unwelcome” is a creature feature that blends monster horror with a home invasion thriller to create a movie that feels modern yet enjoyably retro. It’s a bloody, creepy, and often funny (perhaps unintentionally some of the time) genre film that turns the idyllic dream of life in the Irish countryside upside down with a wicked take on local (fictional) folklore.

Happy couple Maya (Hannah John-Kamen) and Jamie (Douglas Booth) are living in a cramped apartment in a rough neighborhood in London. With the news that she’s pregnant, the pair want a way out of their urban lives so they can raise a family in a safer, quieter environment. When Jamie gets news that he’s inherited a home in the countryside from his late Aunt, the two don’t hesitate to pack up and move to what they hope will be the perfect small-town dream. Of course, they didn’t bargain for the Celtic legend of the Redcaps, a supernatural presence of murderous goblins that lurk in the woods beyond the garden wall.

It’s a fun idea for a horror film, even if the story is mostly predictable. Most of the mythology of the Redcaps is issued as warnings from the new neighbors, including the foreboding message that the goblins will happily come to the aid of anyone in need of rescue, but there is a very steep price to pay for their help.

Jamie and Maya are a likeable couple, and it takes little effort to want them to find happiness in their new lives. Relatable protagonists is key. The villains aren’t just the nasty little trolls, but also a crew of sketchy home renovators (Kristian Nairn, Colm Meaney, Jamie-Lee O’Donnell, Chris Walley) that are hired as helpers but eventually become enemies. There’s a good deal of tension in the story right before it takes a darker turn.

Wright takes too long to reveal the goofy-looking Redcaps, demonic Yoda-like gremlins that are hilariously corny but also wickedly vicious killing machines. They add so much to the film that I wish the creatures had a bigger role earlier on, but at least the kills are bloody and satisfying once they do show up.

The entire film suffers from plodding pacing, especially in the final third. Everything is too long and drawn out, and Wright doesn’t stick the landing. Luckily, there’s enough in “Unwelcome” to satisfy casual and longtime fans of monster movies and home invasion thrillers.

By: Louisa Moore