The Last House (2026) Review
- Viktoria
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Director: Louis Leterrier
Year of release: 2026
Countries of origin: United Kingdom, France, United States
Spoiler status: Spoiler-heavy
Genre: Psychological horror
The Last House, from streaming giant Netflix, is one of those movies where I had no expectations at all. Somehow, it still managed to disappoint. The pace is extremely slow, even for a psychological horror. The monsters aren't consistent, so what we see on the screen doesn't really make sense. In a previous review of a different movie, I argued that a monster doesn't have to be explained to be scary, and I still stand by that. But viewers still need at least something to understand what exactly should scare them about an entity. As an audience member, I expect to feel that awful "here it comes" feeling in my stomach when I see the monster approaching. Unfortunately, this movie had none of that. What it did have, though, was a trigger for those who suffered through the COVID-19 pandemic. Being locked inside, having to think of ways to have fun with what you have at hand, not being able to socialize with neighbors and friends... this part of the movie felt too real, so if you're easily triggered, keep this in mind.
The Last House definitely has some things going for it, but unfortunately, there are way more things going against it. So let's dive in and see what works and what doesn't.
The Plot of The Last House
The story follows a family that, thanks to a mysterious rain, ended up locked inside their own home. The rainwater served as a force field that blocked every entry/exit point of the house. But this wasn't happening only to them. The whole neighborhood (and as we later find out, the whole world) suffered the same fate. A limited amount of food and water, no internet, no TV, no phone signal. They were completely cut off from civilization. Ann (played by Greta Lee) and Jason (played by Wagner Moura) tried to be the best parents they could in the given circumstances. They had movie nights, dance parties, and even fish gutting lessons. They shielded their children for as long as possible, but eventually, even they succumbed to the harsh reality. Food was running out, and help was not coming. This led to the family having to come up with very creative ideas. Jason started building animal traps, which he then threw into the garden through the chimney. Ann, on the other hand, grew her own garden inside the house. They pulled up the floorboards and used the soil underneath to grow their own vegetables. They also collected rainwater with the help of a contraption they built. After five years of captivity, things finally started looking at least a bit positive. Unfortunately, this didn't last long.
One day, one of the creatures decided to venture into their home, and this was where we got our first close-up of the monsters. I was absolutely stunned when I realized that they looked like human-sized versions of Cthulhu. But what baffled me more was the fact that no one mentioned this in the movie. They mentioned sirens, krakens, and even leviathans, but not Cthulhu. Using the image of one of the most well-known horror creatures in the genre's history and not addressing it properly is simply diabolical. Another thing that bothers me about the creature is that, other than the looks, there's no consistency. At one point, they attack a person outside. We see them pulling her away with the help of water, and then a huge flash of light occurs. After that, nothing. This was the only time this happened throughout the whole movie. What was it? Why did they do it? How did it affect the story? These questions remained without an answer. I understand the need to make your movie look visually pleasing, but make it make sense, then. You can't just throw in something for the wow effect and then abandon the idea for the rest of the story.
I'm not going to spoil the ending of the movie for those who, by some miracle, decide to watch it. Just know this: the movie's almost two hours long. After watching it, it felt like I wasted four hours of my life. It's long, it doesn't induce dread, and the plot holes are so major you simply can't look past them. The scariest thing about The Last House is what happened to the dog. And no, I won't go into details on that one because... Just no.
Is The Last House Scary?
The Last House is as far from being scary as it can get. I see the point they were trying to make. Humanity took over the planet, and we, as a species, act all holier-than-thou. No other living creature is safe; sometimes not even humans. To fix this and to coexist, we need to show compassion and empathy. This message is valuable and incredibly noble, but it's hard to take it seriously when it's butchered as badly as it was in this movie. It felt forced and clumsy, making it feel more like an afterthought than a valuable lesson.
I also need to mention that the monsters had so much potential to be scarier, if only the team behind the movie knew how to capitalize on the idea of a creepy, mysterious sea creature. They had all the right elements, but it felt like they didn't know what to do with them. The movie was giving more mystery/adventure vibes than horror. This, paired with the dry and uninterested delivery of both Lee and Moura, ruined the movie.
If you're looking for a sci-fi survival-horror movie that's going to keep you on the edge of your seat, do yourself a favor and look further. This movie will take two hours of your life that you won't ever get back.
Final thoughts
Rating: 🕯️🕯️(2/5)
I rarely feel disappointed after watching a movie. The Last House took that as a challenge. They had all the right elements for a great, dread-inducing creature movie about isolation, but somehow they fumbled the whole thing and managed to make the most boring "horror" movie ever. I'm honestly considering putting in a refund request for the time I put into watching this thing. If you're looking for something fun to watch, keep on looking.
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