On Par with the Original, Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor (2023) Brings Scares Back to the Franchise
Title: Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor
First Non-Festival Release: October 24, 2023 (Limited Theatrical Release)
Director: Stephen Cognetti
Writer: Stephen Cognetti
Runtime: 98 Minutes
Starring: Bridget Rose Perrotta, Destiny Leilani Brown, James Liddell
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
The story behind Hell House LLC has terrified the local community of Rockland County, New York for years. Many have tried to solve the case, and the underlying mysteries of the Abaddon Hotel to no avail. After a childhood trauma leaves her thirsty for answers, cold case investigator Margot (Bridget Rose Perrotta) and her girlfriend Rebecca (Destiny Leilani Brown) decide to take a crack at one related to the haunt. This leads them and Margot’s brother, Chase (James Liddell), to the Carmichael Mansion, where they investigate the deaths of the Carmichael family. They make it four nights into their five day stay.
A marked return to form, Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor delivers plenty of chills while adding to an expansive mythology.
Once again returning to its compelling mix of faux documentary and found footage setup, Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor steers the series back on course. After the last two sequels struggled to delve into the mythology, this fourth entry in the franchise adds something interesting to the story. Diving deeper into the specific history behind the iconic clown figures that plague all things related to the Abaddon Hotel, this origin story ties together all the loose ends from the previous entries to create this chilling tale.
While the investigation of the house and cult is intriguing, it sometimes feels like an afterthought to the character development of the visitors. The drama between its central three players feels forced at times as they rarely get time to truly interact beyond uncovering secrets behind the home. Margot, Rebecca, and Chase all have separate functions that are essential to any found footage film. Margot is the laser-focused leader hellbent on staying just long enough to make escaping the horror impossible, Rebecca is the unenthusiastic partner who just wants to leave, and Chase is the third wheel whose third act disappearance causes a wrench to be thrown in the group’s escape plans.
Predictably this trio doesn’t have much to do beyond their roles, each of them having a nugget or two of interesting history to offer to the story. Be it Margot’s childhood near-abduction, Rebecca’s professional worries, and Chase’s mental health problems, each contributes to the group’s overall unease and vulnerability when staying at the manor.
What makes this indie film so effective is the care taken to craft every scare as realistic as possible without too many gimmicks. Soft, sneaky, and sinister, the scares in Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor purposefully misdirect the audience and focus on creating an uneasy atmosphere. There is a certain banality to the horror in this film that gets under the skin. The scares are common yet relatable: footsteps and figures lost down the hallway, toys appearing out of nowhere, feeling cut off from the rest of the world. Writer/director Stephen Cognetti knows how to scare and steer audiences on a terrifying ride.
While it is scarier than its previous two entries, the biggest thing holding this iteration of Hell House LLC back is its bland set. New England homes have a certain charm to them but the manor in this Hell House LLC film has little personality. It doesn’t feel historic or lived in or even dusty. At most, it looks like a creepy Airbnb listing that is generic enough to film without fear of it being identified post shoot. Empty hallways and sparse bedrooms aren’t the end of the world when it comes to horror, but it still misses the mark stylistically, nonetheless.
Spooky, engaging, and well-crafted, Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor sparks some energy back into the iconic indie franchise. Fans of the original and neophytes to the series alike will find plenty to enjoy in this mockumentary. While it doesn’t do anything spectacularly new or original, the energy that permeates from the film is enough to make anyone feel on edge. If you dare learn about the secrets of the Abaddon, feel free to book a visit to where it all began.
Overall Score? 7/10
