The Inhabitant
By Jeffrey Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Strong, realistic teens in otherwise silly horror thriller.
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The Inhabitant
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Based on 1 parent review
Clever elevated horror
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What's the Story?
In THE INHABITANT, teenage Tara (Odessa A'zion) is having trouble with a bully at school and is sad that her boyfriend, Carl (Michael Cooper Jr.), is moving away for college. Plus, a creepy neighbor is sending her inappropriate texts. But, worst of all, she's begun experiencing flashes of seeing herself killing her baby brother, Jack, with an ax. It turns out that Tara is a descendent of legendary accused ax murderer Lizzie Borden, and it's said that there's a family curse passed down through the generations. Indeed, Tara's aunt is currently incarcerated for murdering her own child. And Tara herself sometimes sees the ghost of Lizzie. As Tara tries to convince herself that everything is fine, people around her begin actually dying. Is she blacking out and turning into a homicidal maniac, or is something even more sinister going on?
Is It Any Good?
This silly horror thriller doesn't always work, especially toward the end, but it earns points for its complex family relations and the genuine way its troubled teen characters speak and behave. The Inhabitant hinges on a ridiculous idea: that Lizzie Borden, who was accused of murdering her family with an ax in 1892 and subsequently acquitted, was actually a homicidal maniac capable of passing down her brand of murderous intent to her descendants. The movie itself seems fascinated with the monster version of Borden, without really asking why.
But Tara and her younger brother have a rapport that feels organic. They're clever and quick witted and able to tip the balance of power in their favor; their little showdowns are most amusing. (Their parents, played by Leslie Bibb and Dermot Mulroney, are frequently at a loss.) Moreover, Tara's interactions with her boyfriend, her best friend, and authority figures help portray her as a well-rounded character, full of ever changing nuance. As a result, the world set up by The Inhabitant seems to dig into real-world emotional struggles, and it's easy to be touched by them. It's too bad the movie springs a dull, poorly played whodunit on viewers in the end, as well as a race against time to save the day. This movie had the stuff to be something much better, but, still, the good parts make it worth a look.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Inhabitant's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies? Why do people sometimes like to be afraid?
Why are people still so fascinated by Lizzie Borden? Did the movie inspire you to learn more about her?
How is mental illness portrayed in the film? How does that compare to other depictions you've seen?
How is drinking portrayed? Why does Ben drink secretly in the cab of his truck?
Movie Details
- In theaters: October 7, 2022
- On DVD or streaming: November 15, 2022
- Cast: Odessa A’zion, Leslie Bibb, Dermot Mulroney
- Director: Jerren Lauder
- Studios: Gravitas Ventures, Lionsgate
- Genre: Horror
- Topics: Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Run time: 97 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: December 15, 2022
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