While audiences debate the latest blockbusters or formulaic slashers, a quietly released film on Netflix has won unanimous praise from critics. His House — an independent thriller from 2020 — boasts a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has become a sensation among fans of "smart horror." But if you don’t follow festivals or British cinema closely, you may have missed it.
Refugees, a House, and a Demon Within the Walls
At the heart of the story are Bol and Rial, a couple fleeing war-torn South Sudan. They lose their daughter crossing the English Channel but are given a chance at a new life in England. They move into an old, dark house on the outskirts — with peeling walls. All seems fine until they realize they are not alone. Something is there. Or someone. Not just a ghost — an apet, a demon from African mythology, come to collect its debt.
Fear as a Metaphor for Trauma
His House terrifies not through jump scares but atmosphere. Every fear is an allegory: loss, guilt, alienation in a foreign land. Bol tries to assimilate — changing clothes, learning English songs — but the house and the past won’t let go. Rial clings to culture, language, and memory. The demon is not just evil; it is their pain, which didn’t leave with the boat but settled inside the walls.
Critics Are Raving — and For Good Reason
His House holds a flawless 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s hailed as a rare example of horror that is both scary and intelligent. This isn’t just a haunted house story — it’s a meditation on guilt, identity, and the pain of loss. And it truly frightens — not with loud sounds, but with what hides inside us.
If you love horror that lingers long after the credits roll — His House is a must-watch. And perhaps, a must-revisit.
