"Who Invited Them" Review

You just moved to the hills in a beautiful new home and life seems perfect, right? Until the dark secrets of the past make themselves known, that is. In this home invasion thriller, director Duncan Birmingham pits two young couples against each other in a night full of drugs, drinking, and tension as several different truths unfold. The plot twist isn’t revolutionary, but is still a fun ride. Although there were some unnecessary sub plot moments, this film kept me engaged until the end.

Adam and Margot celebrate their move to the hills by throwing a housewarming party. A strange couple crashes and makes themselves welcome, hanging out long after everyone else has left. After a long night of drinking and tension between the new homeowners, things get heated when the strange guests don’t want to leave.

Acting

Although the protagonists were unlikeable for a good portion of the film, the acting was tight and believable. The writing presents the couple as perfect on the outside with plenty of tension on the inside, which the actors portray well. Some of the dialogue feels forced, but the performances aren’t stiff like they could’ve been. The antagonists are cleverly portrayed as a laid back couple who definitely have a secret, but they’re coy about it. Overall, no complaints about the performances here.

Sound

I am in love with this soundtrack. The modern and indie influences of the songs fit the setting and the characters well, really pushing the heir of aristocracy. The composition works in subtle tones when the viewer is put on the edge of their seat, almost forcing viewers to hold their breath while they wait to see what the characters are going to do.

Visuals

Cinematography is really crisp in this film and the shots have a “clean” feeling about them, probably to push the patrician setting. There are a couple of gore shots which appear suddenly and are stark.The quick shots of violence and terror juxtaposed against the clean and pristine setting of the rest of the film works well to keep the audience engaged and tense.

Plot & Characters

I took no issue with the predictability of this plot, as it was done well and was entertaining. The two protagonists were unlikeable for the first half of the movie, which I believe was on purpose, but still makes it hard to root for them. There was a recurring sub-plot and character intercut with the action of the main story that I just didn’t understand. In the end, this side story did nothing for the plot or narrative and the side character seemed to even be forgotten about by the main characters–I just don’t understand why those scenes were included. That being said, I found the ending to be unsettling and ambiguous, which is how I think all horror movies should end. I saw a number of reviews complaining that the ending didn’t make sense, but I found it to be really obvious, so I’m not sure where the confusion lies. But either way, the ending was worth the ride and overall the story was entertaining.

Is It Scary?

I was tense from the beginning of the film to the end. However if you don’t have social anxiety, you might find the first few scenes boring rather than unsettling.

TL;DR

No, I will absolutely not go to your house party. 4/5 stars.

For a list of trigger warnings, I suggest visiting doesthedogdie.com.