Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson , based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 16+
Lots of gore in clever New Zealand ghost/murder story.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
-
Violence & Scariness
a lot
Character is stabbed in neck with fork. Electric pulse blows someone's head off, extreme gore flies in character's faces, one character spits something out of their mouth. Someone is stabbed with shears, huge blood sprays that spatter character in face. Character killed by corkscrew in their back. Someone's face scraped with cheese grater. Other violence includes a punch to the face, an attempt to strangle someone with phone cord, and more stabbings with bloody wounds. Character is attacked and chased by strange creature. Characters bashed over the head and tied up with twisted clothes hanger. Someone's ankle suddenly grabbed by creepy hand. Threat of gun violence. Someone's leg caught in bear trap (nothing gory shown). Fall from high place, fall down stairs. Talking bear doll saying spooky things in scary voice. Bear doll appears to attack someone in shower. Spooky sounds. Jump scares. Lurking figures. Creaking doors. Murder photos, bloody corpses. Character knocked unconscious by loose head on sledgehammer. ATM blown up with dynamite. Skinning of a possum. Character zapped by electrical shock. A young person's murder is described as "stabbed 67 times with a meat fork." Graphic and violent dialogue about a fridge full of aborted fetuses and torn off limbs. Character mistakenly attacks an intruder. Minor car crash.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Language
a lot
Frequent language includes "f--k," "s--t," "shut the f--k up," "bitch," "bastard," "arse," "pissant," "gutless," "maggot," "retarded," "piss off," "d--k," and "hell." "Jesus Christ" and "God" used as exclamations.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
some
Reference to someone underage stealing Amarula (a cream liqueur), and throwing up after drinking too much. Main character drinks bottle of beer, several empty bottles on table nearby. Main character smokes cigarettes regularly. Other characters smoke as well. A character is described as abusing alcohol and methamphetamines. A bag of pot is found.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Sex, Romance & Nudity
a little
Character seen in shower, but no nudity shown. Main character seen urinating (nothing shown). Reference to "creaming your pants." Woman shown a drawing of herself bathing.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Products & Purchases
very little
"iPhone" mentioned several times.
-
Positive Messages
a little
The movie is, at its heart, about the reconciliation of parents and children, through the realization that they are all actual people, and not just the rigid roles of "parent" or "child."
-
Positive Role Models
a little
Kylie and Miriam are likable, but are often in stressful situations and are not always seen in the best light. However, Amos is seen donating much of his own time and equipment to help the family with their problem, even risking his own life and limb.
-
Diverse Representations
very little
This is a women-led story, with Kylie driving most of the action with her mother, Miriam, also playing a pivotal role. The cast is, overall, relatively small, and it contains no characters of color. Some disparaging remarks made about Maori people such as: "This one was so well-spoken," and "nice to see an educated one." Some portrayal of how families can consist of different (non-biological) kinds of relationships.
Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.
-
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Housebound is a well-made horror movie with just the right hint of humor, as well as plenty of gore, jump scares, and strong language. When Kylie Bucknell (Morgana O'Reilly) is sentenced to eight months' house arrest in her childhood home, strange things begin happening, which may be caused by a ghost. Violence is very strong, with several intensely gory moments including heads exploding, blood sprays, strangulations, and stabbings (with shears, a fork, and a corkscrew). Women are punched, people are chased, and there are plenty of spooky occurrences that are sudden and unsettling. Language is also strong, with multiple uses of "f--k," "s--t," "bitch," "bastard," "retarded," "piss off," "d--k," "hell," "Jesus Christ," etc. A character is said to have abused alcohol and methamphetamines, and there is excessive beer drinking, lots of smoking, and a bag of pot is sheen. A woman takes a shower, although nothing is shown, and there's a bit of sex-related dialogue. The film is the writing and directing debut of Gerard Johnstone who went on to make M3GAN. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Housebound
Parent and Kid Reviews
See all
- Parents say
- Kids say
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
Rate movie
What's the Story?
In HOUSEBOUND, small-time thief Kylie Bucknell (Morgana O'Reilly) is arrested after a bungled robbery and sentenced to house arrest in her childhood home, under the care of her chatty mother, Miriam (Rima Te Wiata). Security man Amos (Glen-Paul Waru) explains how her ankle bracelet works, and that any attempt to leave the property or tamper with the device will send him a signal. Kylie is immediately miserable, but things get worse when strange things start happening, like a toy bear seemingly attacking her or doors mysteriously opening by themselves. Amos, an amateur paranormal investigator, jumps in to help. They discover that their home used to be a halfway house and that a young girl was brutally murdered there. Could it be her ghost trying to communicate? Or something more sinister?
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated Rate movie
Kids say: Not yet rated Rate movie
Combining a ghost hunt and murder story with a craftily wry sense of humor and genuinely likable, broken characters, this horror/thriller has good scares and atmosphere, but it also has heart. The feature writing and directing debut of New Zealander Gerard Johnstone -- who went on to make M3GAN -- Housebound is almost relaxed in its confidence. Its opening scene, the botched robbery, is a brilliant masterclass in how to get a point across using only visuals and sounds -- the first sound we hear, the car scraping over a speed bump in a parking lot, is crucial. The scene is also a great introduction to the unflappable Kylie, whose first reaction to most things is an eye roll, an exasperated sigh, or a barked profanity. But when she gets to her mother's house, we begin to truly understand her, and their relationship. Amos is a great character as well, a nerd, but comfortable in his own skin. When these folks begin tackling their intruder problem, it's engaging, because we know them. Plus, they're not scaredy-cats. Even the final line spoken in Housebound is pitch-perfect. It may not win over non-genre fans, but for others, it's worth seeking out.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Housebound's depiction of 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?
Was the movie scary? What is the appeal of scary movies? Why do people like to be scared?
Discuss the language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary, or excessive? What did it contribute to the film?
Did Kylie find redemption in this story? If so, how?
How were alcohol, smoking, and drugs depicted in this movie? Were they glamorized? Were there consequences?
Movie Details
- In theaters: October 17, 2014
- On DVD or streaming: December 5, 2016
- Cast: Morgana O'Reilly, Rima Te Wiata, Glen-Paul Waru
- Director: Gerard Johnstone
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Indigenous actors
- Studio: Alameda Entertainment
- Genre: Horror
- Topics: Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Run time: 107 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: September 18, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Housebound
Suggest an Update
Your privacy is important to us. We won't share this comment without your permission. If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. See our privacy policy.
