The Movie Almost Had Me, But Then The Creatures Showed Up

What would you do if you were stuck in the house with your family with no way out? That is what happens in Netflix’s The Last House. The Delgado family is excited to go tree shopping for Christmas. As they leave, they notice that not only is it raining, but all the doors and windows won’t open. They watch in horror as any attempts to break down the doors and windows are futile. The rain has created a barrier around the house and instantly fills in any cracks they make. The house has limited supplies. Will they be able to wait out the rain? 

I think the premise of the movie works well with viewers because it asks a question that people worldwide have been pondering in recent years: who would you want on your side if things take a turn for the worse? COVID brought that forth in people’s minds as many people decided whom they were sharing a home with during those unprecedented times. It tended to strengthen a relationship or break it apart. 

We see that struggle with the Delgado family. Jason and Ann are not sure how long the rain would keep them locked in. They are surprised that the kids aren’t concerned about their new circumstances at first, with the kids stating that they had faith enough in their parents to figure out how to escape. Inspired by their kids’ faith in them, they try to keep the kids occupied by still requiring the kids to do schoolwork they come up with, exercise, and chores. They are able to make it work for a period of time. They listened to old records and played the same two DVD movies all the time. They all kept to a routine. 

However, a sense of dread comes in. The kids get angry and combative when they notice their parents are giving them smaller amounts of food each meal. After a blowout, the kids realized with horror the secret that their parents were keeping from them: Food had become scarce. It quickly became a reality check for both kids because they finally saw how dire their situation was, but also that their parents didn’t have all the answers. It was also a heartbreaking realization for Jason and Ann because they realized that they couldn’t protect their kids from everything. 

It was very similar to COVID. It was hard in the early days to let people know that everything would be okay because there wasn’t a vaccine yet or any thoughts on how to treat it. It became dissonant trying to stay positive while watching the death toll increase every single day. People huddle together with loved ones, not knowing if tomorrow would be the end of everything. 

*****Spoilers *****

Despite the premise and the strong emotions it provoked, the movie wasn’t able to stick the landing. The ending was wild because it didn’t make sense. The rain had brought creatures with it that prowled the streets and hunted people. One broke into their home and destroyed their supplies before being summoned back into the streets to hunt more. The Delgados decided to set a trap for the creature next time it visits. When it does, it tries to drown the whole family in the house. The father was able to capture the creature, but the daughter stopped him from killing it. She says that the creatures were a part of Earth and meant no harm. Surprisingly, the father let the creature go and escorted them out of the house, where more of his kind was waiting. The creature convinced his species not to harm the family, stop the rain from falling, and return to the sea. The family gets on a boat in the ocean to search for fellow survivors. 

WTH. I stared at the screen for a while, trying to process what I just watched. The Delgados’ neighbors were killed by the creatures.  Why did they leave the Delgados alone? Did they serve some purpose that wasn’t stated? Why did the daughter trust them? Finally, why did the creatures leave when the Delgados spared one of them? There was no explanation of why the creatures stayed on land for many years and why they suddenly decided to depart for the sea. 

*****Spoilers End*****

It is the most baffling film that I have seen in recent years. As a viewer, you felt the immense tension the scenes created, but you hoped that the family would work together to make it to the end. It was a shame watching everything build up to a great climax for the ending to suddenly fall apart at the seams. As a big science fiction fan, I was expecting more nuances from the creatures and a great discussion of ideas from the plot. However, all I am left with is a tattered ending and a waste of time.