Indie
[Review] ‘Don’t Knock Twice’ Is a Better Family Drama Than Horror Movie
Family drama and horror are a surprisingly effective combination, despite sounding like antagonistic concepts. From classics like Poltergeist to more recent examples like The Conjuring, there’s nothing that brings a family together like a good old-fashioned horror story. Caradog W. James’ Don’t Knock Twice is the latest in this long line of dramatic scary movies, though it offers a few unique twists along the way.
Don’t Knock Twice stars Katie Sackhoff as Jess, an artist looking to reunite with her estranged daughter Chloe, played by Lucy Boynton, nine years after having been forced to place her into foster care. However, Chloe has been marked by a sinister force thought by many to be just an urban legend, which, alongside her mother’s troubled past, threatens to destroy their chance of becoming a family again.
Plot-wise, the film feels slightly derivative, with many aspects having been borrowed from similar horror movies like Mama, specifically the themes of motherhood and the portrayal of the antagonist. Despite this, Don’t Knock Twice does have a few surprises in store for patient viewers, not to mention some legitimately scary moments featuring a certain child-stealing witch.
Although I certainly appreciate the connections to Russian folklore, the supernatural mystery is easily the weakest part of the movie. Sackhoff and Boynton’s performances, on the other hand, are what really make the experience worthwhile, as their mother-daughter relationship adds another level of drama to the film. You’ll find yourself rooting for these characters as they face this seemingly unbeatable entity, while also caring when one of them makes a mistake.
Beyond the characters, Caradog also has a good eye for visual storytelling, and his direction certainly elevates some of the more generic parts of the film. While visual flair is obviously no substitute for a good script, the presentation here almost makes up for the story’s lack of creativity. It would have been great to see a better version of the antagonist, though, as tall, slender figures crawling down from the darkest corners of the screen have sadly become commonplace in mainstream horror.
Even with its unsurprising narrative and creature design, Don’t Knock Twice is definitely worth the price of admission. The characters are extremely well developed, their interactions are believable, and there’s something instinctually compelling about seeing how far a mother is willing to go in order to protect her child. It might not be the most original family-oriented horror movie ever made, but Don’t Knock Twice is still a charming and well-crafted thriller.
Don’t Knock Twice premiered at the UK-based Raindance Film Festival!
Her House of Horrors, the horror division of Independent Production House WOMXNOGRAPHY, has launched its Bite Size Short Grant Program, ahead of its film festival Dollhouse of Horror, which will take place in March 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.
The Bite Size Short Grant Program awards $2,000 film grants to female-identifying and queer horror filmmakers. Shorts must be able to be made for $2,000, with a minimum runtime of 8 minutes. Submissions are now open on Filmfreeway, and are being judged by a panel of horror lovers and content creators.
The 2024 Bite Size Short Grant Program judge lineup is as follows:
“James H. Carter II- A documentary director, film producer, podcaster, marketing specialist, and writer. James is the founder and co-owner of Creepy Kingdom. Creepy Kingdom was founded in 2011 and is a multimedia website, and production studio specializing in creepy content. Their primary focus lies at the intersection of childlike fantasy and the macabre, covering horror films, theme parks, haunts, and much more. Beyond their extensive media coverage, Creepy Kingdom hosts events, offers original merchandise, and engages in film production under the Creepy Kingdom Studios brand producing original films like “Foolish Mortals”, exploring Disney’s “Haunted Mansion” fan culture, and “Georgie”, featuring Tony Dakota from the original “It” miniseries.
“In addition to founding Creepy Kingdom, James has won awards for his documentary work, including the award-winning “Foolish Mortals,” which has earned him recognition. He has been featured on Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween special.
“Ashleeta Beauchamp is the editor-in-chief of Peek-A-Boo! Magazine, a cheeky horror magazine created to uplift marginalized writers, artists, models and other creators within the horror community. She also runs The Halloween Coalition, a community group to provide support and marketing for horror and Halloween events around the Southern California area.
“Titeanya Rodríguez is a multi-hyphenate creative, and the founder and owner of HER HOUSE OF HORRORS, home of DOLLHOUSE OF HORROR and the horror division of WOMXNOGRAPHY. As a fellow storyteller and a self-proclaimed artivist, Titeanya’s mission is to create opportunities for women of color and queer women, across film, tv, sports, music, and beyond. She is also the creator of the BITE SIZE SHORT grant program.”
Winners will have a one-night theatrical screening at Regal Cinemas. Submissions Close April 8 at Midnight. Winners will be announced on May 27, 2024. Shorts must be shot and through post-production by June 30, 2024. The screening will take place on July 8, 2024, in Los Angeles, CA.
WOMXNOGRAPHY, HER HOUSE OF HORRORS, and Rodriguez are represented by Azhar PR, Granderson Des Rochers, and Kinsella Holley Iser Kump Steinsapir.
To submit your short to the Bite Size Short Grant Program, go to the FilmFreeway link here.
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