Movie review: Housebound

Morgana O'Reilly plays Kylie in Housebound. PHOTO/TRIGGER ENTERTAINMENT

Housebound
(R13) 120 minutes

Housebound

is a movie like no other.

It's not really a horror movie and it's not a continuous laugh-out-loud comedy gag. But it is brilliant.

When an angry and obnoxious Kylie (Morgana O'Reilly) gets sent to home detention with sweet but naive mum Miriam (Rima Te Wiata) following a bungled bank robbery, she thinks things couldn't get much worse.

But then she becomes the target of creepy and strange happenings.

Whether it is ghostly hauntings or something more sinister, no one is too sure.

Fortunately, or unfortunately for her, Kylie's probation officer Amos (Glen-Paul Waru) also dabbles in pro-bono supernatural investigation.

And so the story unfolds, with a few surprises.

Kylie makes for a great anti-hero, with plenty of spunk to take on what comes, while the adorable Te Wiata and hilarious Waru offer plenty of entertainment.

A scene involving a corkscrew and the local police force had me in stitches while cringing terribly at the same time. But that's the magic with this film.

A witty and clever script keeps things rolling and fresh, and there is plenty of fodder for horror hounds.

Housebound director Gerard Johnson has done an amazing job of meshing thrills and laughs. PHOTO/TRIGGER ENTERTAINMENT

Director Gerard Johnstone has done an amazing job of somehow meshing thrills and laughs - an area that could have too easily been a flop.

Housebound is a refreshing and utterly delightful Kiwi film which is difficult to compare to any other.

I loved it.

Watch the trailer for Housebound below: