UTG’s 31 Days Of Halloween: ‘Knock Knock’

Of all the holidays celebrated worldwide, no single day is loved by the UTG staff more than Halloween. With October’s arrival, the time has finally come to begin rolling out a slew of features and special announcements we have prepared in celebration of our favorite day.

Now in its fourth year, 31 Days Of Halloween is a recurring feature that will run throughout the month of October. The goal of this column is to supply every UTG reader with a daily horror (or Halloween-themed) movie recommendation that is guaranteed to amplify your All Hallows’ Eve festivities. We’ll be watching every film the day it’s featured, and we hope you’ll follow along at home.

This year, the entire 31 Days series is dedicated to the memory of our friend, Justin Proper. We wouldn’t have a film department without him, and he specifically helped pioneer our involvement in the horror genre. Rest in peace, JP.

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Day 13: Knock Knock (2015)

There is an old saying that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. If that is true, then Eli Roth’s Knock Knock offers a double dose of what should be every man’s worst nightmare. It’s the kind of film that makes men smile for a while before making them regret falling for onscreen beauties, and I’ve found it has the opposite effect on women. While females tend to dislike the film’s opening act, the two that follow can (and have) left them cheering for more. It’s the kind of horror film that couples can watch together, but it also works well for the single people, and it’s one of the few 2015 genre titles we feel deserves a place in this series.

After discovering two beautiful young women who claim to be lost at his front door in the dead of night, Evan Webber does what any decent person would and welcomes the strangers into his home. He offers them access to his phone and computer, as well as towels, robes, and even food. When the women find themselves without a ride, Evan goes as far as to call an Uber for them on his own dime, but with a wait time of at least 45 minutes he has no choice other than to entertain his company.

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It’s important that you know Evan is a good family man. He loves his wife, as well as their two children, and he begins the night doing everything in his power to resist the clear attempts at seduction being conveyed by the two young women sitting in his living room. His will is not strong enough to last the night, however, and eventually Evan succumbs to temptation.

When morning comes, Evan convinces the women to leave, but by nightfall they have returned. Their purpose this time around is far more sinister, and unfortunately for Evan he has become part of a deadly game that will twist everything he thought he knew about the two young women inside out. Whether or not he makes it through the night is something you will have to find out for yourself, but I can assure you the film is far more clever than you may believe. The turns are quick and often, keeping both Evan and the viewers on their toes throughout.

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I know Eli Roth has struggled to capture our macabre imaginations the way he did when the initial Hostel films debuted, but Knock Knock proves the so-called modern master of horror still has a few fun tricks up his sleeve. There’s also a killer performance from Keanu Reeves, which is nothing to scoff at. I never thought a film with a premise this simple would go on to be one of the most entertaining genre titles of the year, but that is what you’ll find when you see Knock Knock. Don’t miss out.

James Shotwell
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