The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

As a child, you would get excited when your uncle pulled a coin out of your ear, but the moment that you realized that it is just a trick was surely a harsh one. The House with a Clock in its Walls fools you into thinking it pulled a coin out of your ear, but it quickly reveals that its magic, is just another lame trick.

The House with a Clock in its Walls follows 10-year-old Lewis (Owen Vaccaro) who has to move to his estranged uncle Jonathan’s (Jack Black) house after the tragic death of his parents. Lewis discovers that his uncle and his next-door neighbour, Mrs. Zimmerman (Cate Blanchette), are witches. Lewis also discovers that his uncle’s house is magic, and that there is a deep dark secret that his uncle has been hiding from him.

The film’s plot entails deep rooted magic, wonder, and fantasy, but the reality of the execution was too superficial to satisfy the audience’s thirst for wonder.

There are several magical scenes, one involving the milky way coming to life and another involving a chair that is actually somehow also a seal. The film, however, only explored the magical dimensions shallowly and did not delve into providing any interesting backstories. Additionally, there were several instances when the film moved from magical to silly, like a scene where Lewis and his uncle Jonathan were fighting evil pumpkins.

The film cleverly and subtly incorporated humour into its plot, and successfully managed to mix it with elements of horror in the film’s first half. As the film progressed into its second half, however, the element of horror turned into a few silly jump scares here and there, making the initially promising mixture seem absolutely absurd.

As for the acting, Jack Black was a perfect casting choice; indeed, the role fit him like a glove. Black was able to give the role some depth, with small and quirky character traits, as well as the goofy facial expressions that he is known for. Owen Vaccaro tread a fine line between authenticity and over the top acting. Cate Blanchette was her usual dazzling self: oozing with charisma and portraying depth. In other words, Blanchette did what she does best; she managed to make her character quite memorable. 

The House with the Clock in its Walls has its magical moments, but it won’t fool you into thinking it’s the next Harry Potter series.