A House On The Bayou Review: Middling Blumhouse Horror Misses The Mark

[Night hunter]

Despite its potential, A House on the Bayou has nothing new or interesting to offer, with the final twist further undoing the film's scattered charm

Blumhouse Television Productions has managed to carve a unique space within the horror genre, with most of its model being based on small-budget horror offerings helmed by directors with considerable creative freedom. A House on the Bayou is the first of eight horror films birthed from a collaboration between Blumhouse and EPIX, written and directed by Alex McAulay, creator of the moderately-gripping thriller Don’t Tell A Soul. Despite its potential, A House on the Bayou has nothing new or interesting to offer, with the final twist further undoing the film's scattered charm.

A House on the Bayou sets up the relationship between married couple Jessica (Angela Sarafyan) and John (Paul Schneider), with the former now aware of her husband’s affair with his student, Vivienne (Lauren Richards). Although visibly hurt by John’s actions (who does not seem genuinely repentant to begin with), Jessica decides to give their relationship another chance, especially for the sake of their daughter, Anna (Lia McHugh). Booking an idyllic getaway to an isolated mansion in the Louisiana Bay, the family in question attempt to settle in, with John and Anna making a trip to the only grocery store a few miles away. This is when they meet the devilish teen Isaac (Jacob Lofland) and his “grandpappy” (Doug Van Liew), a duo who seem suspiciously over-friendly, all the while harboring nefarious intentions and secrets.