His House (2020)

 Horror That Haunts Beyond the Supernatural

Released in 2020, His House is a British psychological horror film that blends supernatural terror with the harsh realities of refugee life. Directed by Remi Weekes in his feature debut, the movie quickly earned widespread acclaim for its fresh take on the haunted house genre. Instead of centering on familiar tropes, it uses horror as a metaphor to explore trauma, displacement, and the haunting memories of war. The result is a chilling, deeply emotional story that lingers with audiences long after the credits roll.

The film follows Bol and Rial, a married couple from South Sudan who escape a brutal civil war and seek asylum in the United Kingdom. After surviving a perilous journey across the sea—one that claims the life of their young daughter—the couple is placed in a run-down government housing unit on the outskirts of London. At first, the house seems like an opportunity for a new beginning. However, it soon becomes clear that something sinister lurks within its walls. Strange noises, apparitions, and crumbling interiors suggest that their new home is haunted. Yet as the story unfolds, it becomes increasingly evident that the ghosts are not merely supernatural—they are manifestations of guilt, grief, and unresolved trauma.

What makes His House stand out is its ability to intertwine social realism with supernatural dread. The horror does not only come from the eerie figures that stalk the couple but also from the cold bureaucracy of the asylum system and the alienation they experience in their new environment. The house, meant to be a place of safety, instead becomes a prison filled with both literal and figurative demons. The storytelling is layered, forcing the audience to consider whether the couple is truly haunted by spirits or by the choices they made in their past.

Performances by Sope Dirisu as Bol and Wunmi Mosaku as Rial are extraordinary. Dirisu conveys Bol’s desperation to assimilate, clinging to the hope of leaving his past behind, while Mosaku embodies Rial’s quiet strength, resilience, and her struggle to remain connected to her cultural identity. Their dynamic is both tender and fractured, showing how trauma impacts not just individuals but relationships. Matt Smith also appears as their caseworker, representing the distant and often indifferent authority of the system.

Visually, His House uses the decaying interiors of the house as a metaphor for the characters’ deteriorating mental states. Shadows, flickering lights, and claustrophobic spaces enhance the sense of unease. The sound design amplifies every creak, whisper, and scream, immersing the audience in a world where reality and nightmare blur. Importantly, the film never relies solely on jump scares; its horror is psychological, slow-burning, and deeply tied to its characters’ emotional lives.

Upon its release, His House received critical acclaim, praised for its originality, social commentary, and emotional depth. Many reviewers highlighted how the film expanded the scope of what horror could achieve, making it not just a tale of fright but also one of empathy and understanding. It was lauded as one of the strongest horror films of 2020, marking director Remi Weekes as an exciting new voice in cinema.

Ultimately, His House is more than a ghost story—it is a meditation on survival, memory, and the heavy cost of leaving one life behind to start another. It reminds us that sometimes the most terrifying ghosts are the ones we carry within ourselves.