BACK TO ITS ROOTS
As a massive fan of Hell House LLC and the franchise as a whole, this was the shot in the arm this franchise needed. Number 1 is a classic, watch Number 2 if you just want some solid cheap jump scares, and watch number 3 if you want need a movie that’s way too full of itself and out there in its lore that it needs a few strong drinks to enjoy. Origins fucking bangs though and has amazing pacing and scares. It also makes the first movie even better by expanding on the lore without doing some weird lake of fire bald guy cult (looking at you number 3). Social media praised this movie and I went in expecting to be disappointed, but this brings back scary clowns, effective jump scares, characters I actually believed in the performances of, and an eerie ending that left me staring blankly at the screen wanting more and more while also feeling scared and satisfied.
A MORE POLISHED LOOK
The actual production and cinematography felt like it was more than your average found footage film. It used long hallways, small corners and dark backdrops to fuck with your mind expecting something at all times. I almost felt like a clown was going to pop out or just lurk in the background at any moment. When the camerawork and set design can do that to me as a viewer, you get some serious praise in my book. Even down to the use of inanimate objects fucked with me, like the ref ball, statues in the hallways, and the use of the laptop and zoom call for a BIG FUCKIN SCARE. This keeps the feel of the first film while feeling like a better production overall.
THE SCARES WE LOVE FROM HELL HOUSE
This movie knows what its scares need to be and knows what its fans love. Give me that fucking clown, a scary ass girl that pops out on someone alone, and objects that you think are going to move, and may move… oh and the amazing piano theme. It’s so eerie. Even down to playing on the fears of a dark closet that’s slightly open and you don’t know how it opened. So of course scary movie characters have to investigate and get us viewers scared!
FINAL THOUGHTS
I have seen this movie before and this rewatch solidified why I always recommend it to people that want a movie with some really great scares and is a hidden gem. I love the building of the clown lore, and the just overall setting creeps me the fuck out. It stays simple, sets all of its scares up, but is a love letter to all of us that swore by the first film and then stuck it through parts 2 and 3 before we got this goldmine of a film back in the franchise for the Origins installment. Thank you to the franchise for bringing us back for a scary ass ride!
The Cinema Speakeasy Theatre Room 
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