An ancient evil has awoken.|Mar. 25, 2022|Ireland|94 Min.|n/A
Genre: Horror;Mystery
Description: “The Cellar” (2022) is a full-length horror film directed by Irish filmmaker Brendan Muldowney. It expands on his 2004 short film “The Ten Steps,” but the broader Satanic themes and additional plotlines, such as Jewish folklore and a police investigation, result in a scattered and unfocused narrative. The film struggles to maintain the original’s eerie tension, with only one chilling scene directly borrowed from the short film and its stunning historic filming location standing out. Overall, “The Cellar” fails to deliver a compelling story.
The plot follows a family that moves into a large, historic house, a classic horror trope. The parents, played by Elisha Cuthbert and Eoin Macken, are enchanted by the charm of their new home, while their teenage daughter, Ellie (Abby Fitz), finds it unattractive and unpleasant. Their younger son, Steven (Dylan Fitzmaurice-Brady), is naturally curious about the old phonograph in the living room. However, the cellar evokes fear rather than nostalgia.
Shortly after arriving, Ellie ventures into the basement, only to have the door shut and lock behind her. Trapped, she hears her parents’ reassuring voices on the other side but senses a dark presence approaching her from the pitch-black stairs. After finding a key above the door frame, her family frees her, but the incident leaves her deeply shaken. Her parents dismiss it as a malfunctioning lock, unaware of the sinister forces lurking in their new home.
Cast director: Brendan Muldowney
Cast actor: Elisha Cuthbert, Eoin Macken, Abby Fitz, Dylan Fitzmaurice-Brady
Original name: The Cellar