Movies
[Review] ‘The Deep House’ Is an Eerie and Technically Ambitious Aquatic Nightmare
The very concept behind Inside directors Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury’s latest is simultaneously ingenious and daunting. A haunted house that can only be accessed by diving to the bottom of a murky, deep lake exhilarates for its innovative new spin on the subgenre. Yet, the technique and precise, painstaking execution required to bring this ambitious aquatic nightmare to life seem like, well, a nightmare. While the nature of bringing this vision to the screen does limit it narratively, The Deep House more than unsettles through an eerie, otherworldly atmosphere and an exhilarating new twist to the haunted house.
Urban explorer Ben (James Jagger) is a thrill seeker in perpetual pursuit of the next unique find that will draw big numbers on his social media channels. Ben’s latest goal is to find legendary village ruins submerged deep underwater fifty years ago during a dam’s construction. He drags his girlfriend Tina (Camille Rowe) along, constantly pushing her past her comfort zone and refusing to slow down. The couple happens upon a local, Pierre (Eric Savin), who promises to show them the coveted spot that isn’t on any map. With the instructions of “follow the steps” down 50 meters below to the dark depths of the lake and only an hour or so worth of oxygen, Ben and Tina find leaving their discovery might prove harder than finding it.
D.P. Jacques Ballard’s extensive experience with underwater cinematography is The Deep House’s most significant and vital asset. As Ben and Tina make their descent into darkness, to eventually discover a pristinely preserved home where no fish dare come near, it’s Ballard’s cinematography that creates an eerie, elegant atmosphere that never relents. That atmosphere of preserved bodies or home décor lifelessly floating in the abyss engages visually where the narrative sags.
The technical precision and safety measures required of having actors and crew underwater means a scaled-back story; it’s simple mythology. The scares don’t come as fast or furious as many would probably like. Blocking a scene is tricky enough on dry land, but underwater? It’s a technical marvel. That means a slowed sense of movement, too; it takes Ben and Tina a while of careful exploration before the activity escalates. But Bustillo and Maury give enough story details to keep things interesting, followed by a post-credit scene that further clicks the mythology into place. When the scares do come, they’re effective, even though some are obscured by frenzied camerawork in panicked moments.
Jagger’s Ben might also frustrate viewers. His unwavering focus on his career and achieving the next big find for numbers means he’s not the most likable, especially in the context of his relationship. Tina feels pressured to meet Ben on his level, and that lack of experience complicates matters. Jagger also isn’t the strongest of performers, which undermines the film’s climax in parts.
The Deep House offers a slow, dark descent that builds to a satisfying conclusion. The underwater setting gives an otherworldly, eerie quality unlike anything else and makes the house’s ghosts all the more startling. It’s more content to let the current slowly wash over its audience than provide a sensory assault, so enjoyment will likely vary depending on how well you’re willing to submerge yourself in the details over the simplified story. But Bustillo and Maury successfully blend two subgenres that couldn’t be further apart and execute it with impressive ambition. That daring ability to test the bounds of horror, at least on a technical level, is always welcome in the genre space, even if not a perfect success.
There are no shortcuts here. It’s as practical and tangible as possible. And it makes for one of the most remarkable and memorable haunted houses in recent memory.
The Deep House will premiere on EPIX on November 5 and will also be available for digital purchase from Paramount Home Entertainment on the same day.
This week’s big new horror release is of course Evil Dead Burn in theaters later in the week, but you don’t have to wait until this weekend to inject fresh nightmares into your eyeballs.
Five brand new horror movies have already released at home this week.
Here’s all the new horror that released on Tuesday, July 7, 2026!
Director André Øvredal’s (The Autopsy of Jane Doe, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, The Last Voyage of the Demeter) new movie Passenger is now available on Digital at home.
Here’s the synopsis for Passenger: “A few weeks into their van life adventure, a young couple witnesses a horrific accident that leaves the driver dead. Soon they’re being pursued by a demonic stalker who’s impossible to outrun and follows them wherever they go.”
André Øvredal told Bloody Disgusting in an exclusive chat, “It’s a road movie, which is what I really fell in love with. It’s totally unique for me as a horror movie. Bridging the road movie with a haunting, essentially, on the road. I think it’s the scariest movie I’ve made.”
The cast includes Jacob Scipio, Lou Llobell, Melissa Leo, Tony Doupe, Bonni Dichone, Devielle Johnson, Jessica Cruz, Miles Fowler, and Alan Trong.
The screenplay is written by Zachary Donohue (The Den) and T.W. Burgess (Mister Howl). Former Warner Bros production executive Walter Hamada, who steered the Conjuring and It franchises, is producing via his 18hz as part of his first-look deal with Paramount. It screenwriter Gary Dauberman is also producing via Coin Operated.
Supernatural horror, psychological suspense, and an eye-catching creature take center stage in The Leaching, now available on Digital from Dark Star Pictures and Uncork’d Entertainment.
“After waking up in a grave on her father’s isolated forest property with no idea of who she is or how she got there, Vivian must use her limited memory to piece together the nightmarish truth, all the while being tormented by the undead, a giant leech monster, and her ‘father.’
“Over the next few days, she will uncover the framework of a truly nefarious supernatural scheme, but will it be too late?”
The Leaching is written and directed by Evan Showalter (Ante Mortem, Bad Music Terry).
“The Leaching is an exploration of faith, the loss of self, and the monsters (literally) that emerge when people surrender themselves to something greater than they can understand,” says Showalter. “It’s an isolating horror film that plays with a very uncomfortable question.”
A film student finds herself trapped in a giallo nightmare in lo-fi horror movie City Wide Fever, which is now streaming exclusively on the Midnight Pulp streaming service.
The meta horror movie is from debut writer/director Josh Heaps.
In City Wide Fever, “Sam, a young film student, discovers a USB detailing the life and career of forgotten Italian horror director Saturnino Barresi.
“As she begins to investigate his mysterious disappearance, Sam finds herself pulled into a violent conspiracy eerily similar to those of the films she adores.”
Diletta Guglielmi, Angelica Kim, and Nancy Kimball star with Onur Tukel (Summer of Blood), Larry Fessenden (You’re Next), Carolyn Farina, and comedian Ian Fidance.
Paul Lê wrote in his review for Bloody Disgusting, “This isn’t just a case of throwback filmmaking that’s been achieved with contemporary technology; the director used era-authentic equipment to help create this striking and nostalgic piece of modern horror. The end result is a movie… teeming with enough verve and style to make it feel fresh.”
A Gen Z slasher that pays homage to ’90s teen slasher movies, You’re Dead to Me is now available on Digital outlets at home courtesy of distributor Dark Star Pictures.
In the slasher film, “Three high school seniors skip prom for a secluded weekend party free from parents, school, and responsibility, but their escape turns terrifying when they learn one of their classmates has been brutally murdered.”
Denise Richards (Valentine) stars alongside Siena Agudong (Sidelined: The QB and Me, Sidelined 2: Intercepted), Jessica Belkin (“Baywatch” ), Ella Anderson (“Henry Danger,” Song Sung Blue), and Conor Husting (“Boo, Bitch”, Hollywood Stargirl).
The film was directed by Juan Pablo Arias Munoz.
You’re Dead to Me was co-written by Sarah Howard and Terry Castle, the daughter of the legendary producer and filmmaker William Castle (House on Haunted Hill, The Tingler).
Steven Quale (Into the Storm, Final Destination 5) directed the supernatural thriller Black Box, which has now taken flight on Digital outlets courtesy of Aura Entertainment.
The film is based on the short film The Vessel, and an original screenplay from horror writer Stephen Susco (The Grudge, The Grudge 2, Texas Chainsaw 3D, Hell Fest).
Black Box (Flight 298) follows the supernatural events surrounding Vero Airlines 298 from New Orleans to Seattle.
Tom Brittney, Holly Leena White, Betsy Blue English, Dane Whyte O’Hara, Kaja Chan, Asa Ali, Boadicea Ricketts, Ceallach Spellman, Georgina Leonidas, Molly Belle Wright, Hanneke Talbot, Danny Mack, and Weronika Rosati star in Black Box.
Hammerstone Studios’ Alex Lebovici (Barbarian, Boy Kills World) and Jon Oakes (Drive, The Guilty) will produce alongside Capstone’s Christian Mercuri and David Haring (Bill & Ted Face the Music), Warren Zide (The Final Destination, American Pie), and Susco. Ruzanna Kegeyan and Roman Viaris of Capstone, and Clark Baker (Vessel) will executive produce.
What happened to Flight 298? Find out on Digital outlets now.
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