Welcome to the Blumhouse: The Lie (2020)

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐  

Welcome to the Blumhouse is Amazon's new anthology series that offers four feature length movies to be made available in the month of October in "celebration" of the Halloween season. While the Blumhouse company has become synonymous to the horror genre, these entries in the series are surprisingly not what I would categorise as horror movies. Having seen the first two offerings The Lie and Black Box, and if they are any indication of what is to be expected with the rest of the movies, I would classify these films more under the suspense or thriller category. This may not necessarily be a bad thing s there are more than enough horror fare being offered during this time of the year, but still, it is important to manage your expectations otherwise you may be disappointed. 

The first entry to be reviewed is The Lie, which is a tight little drama involving a divorced couple's struggle to try and hide a crime committed by their teenage daughter. While the premise of the movie is quite straight forward, the movie comes across as something that commands the viewers' attention throughout its tight one and a half hours runtime. I thought the performance by Peter Saarsgard and Mirelle Onos as the parents were excellent and believable, and the way the movie was directed intriguing and involving. I also liked how the use of sound was able to enhance the more suspenseful moments. This was used effectively through the course of the film. The deafening sound from the rushing water in the icy river torrents drowns out the desperate shouts of the characters, the roaring sound of a passing truck makes it feel like an approaching monster, and even the familiar ringing of the door bell and handphone sounds menacing as it interrupts the contrasting silence in the house. 

The Lie is a worthwhile watch and certainly a class up from many of the rubbish films being churned out today. It has an independent movie feel to it which gives it a fresh and original feeling despite the familiarity of the storyline. The twist at the end may be probably something many may have guessed but it nevertheless still left me with a lasting impact long after the credits have rolled.