Evil At The Door

Kipp Tribble’s home invasion horror film is the second release by Genre distributor Terror Films, who will officially launch their YouTube AVOD channel in 2022 with the release of Last Radio Call and this film, Evil At The Door.  While not as deftly handled as Last Radio Call, the terror is still present as EVIL gathers outside one family’s door in this home invasion tale.

"You get the heebeegeebees right from the opening scene"


Written and directed by Tribble, who also produced alongside Patrick Rivera, Kenny Yates and Executive Producer Richard Siegelman, Evil At The Door centers around a secret guild that has operated for nearly a century, known as The Locusts.  But are they as tightly knitted as they think they are?  That's the question as a few threads are seen unravelling during crucial moments.  

You get the heebeegeebees right from the opening scene as a lone figure stands beneath the lamp light of the evening.  Something is up with this moment that the film is including us in on and, yes, it feels a bit atmospheric like The Purge with its nighttime city vibes, where anything is possible, as this super-secret guild operates by giving its members a night of curated home invasions (aka, "runs") once a year.  But it is startling and sets us up for a night of intrigue, even if the film needs some sharper editing in order to fine tune some of its issues.

Starring Bruce Davison (who doesn't do much but read some lines), Andrea Sweeney Blanco, Robert Allen Mukes, Kenny Yates, Sunny Doench, Richard Siegelman, and Tribble himself this one-night underground event is going to have long lasting repercussions as the issue of orderly disorder runs its course.  The Night of the Locusts has begun!  Building its suspense up early, this home invasion thriller proves to be unsettling enough as the terror that awaits the unsuspecting tenants of the house builds and builds in the lead-in momentsEvil At The Door

With four masked individuals outside the home, you can practically feel their adrenaline pumping throughout their bodies as they wait for the perfect moment to strike.  We get a few flashbacks sprinkled in the drama to relieve some of the pressure, but the questions remain.  Which one among them is bound to betray the group?   

This group of masked men find a way inside and the people inside have no idea what is about to be unleashed.  Daniel is being harassed by his boss via video conference, Jessica is bathing, and Liz, Jessica’s younger sister finds herself hiding under the bed.  While the editing drags a bit in what has to be one of the longest baths in cinema history, Evil At The Door is good in the amount of pressure it builds for its audience.

With 180 minutes to do as they please with the occupants of the selected home, four masked men enter the home of Daniel and Jessica and begin to engage in sick, twisted games with them, but all is not copasetic within the group.  There is a traitor among them.  Will the division amongst the intruders be enough distraction for Liz to survive before The Locusts' clock runs out? 

Evil At The Door will be available across digital and VOD platforms January 28th, one week after it debuts on the Terror Films Channel.

2/5 stars

Film Details

Evil At The Door

MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime:

Director
: Kipp Tribble
Writer:
Kipp Tribble
Cast:
Andrea Sweeney Blanco; Bruce Davison; Sunny Doench
Genre
: Horror | Thriller
Tagline:
There's no place like home... except for tonight.
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor:
Terror Films
Official Site:
Release Date:
Digital and VOD platforms January 28th
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:

Synopsis: EVIL AT THE DOOR centers around a secret guild that has operated for nearly a century, known as The Locusts. Once a year this guild treats its members to a night of curated home invasions (aka, "runs"), known underground as "The Night of The Locusts". With 180 minutes to do as they please with the occupants of the selected home, four masked men enter the home of Daniel and Jessica and begin to engage in sick, twisted games with them.

Art

Evil At The Door