Lockbox Review – Carla Gugino Makes This Familiar Horror Worth Watching

It’s tough to talk about Lockbox without mentioning the part that differentiates it from other horror films in the genre. Even so, director Daniel Stamm finds a way to brood and unsettle the viewer – largely thanks to sensational performances from Carla Gugino and Katharine Isabelle – though the filmmaker telegraphs the big moments, leaving a sense of “I have seen this all before” by the time the credits roll.

Lockbox introduces Ellen Hershbergen (Gugino), who lives in a rural area all by herself. After the death of her mother, she agrees to take in her cousin Winthrop Benson (Lou Taylor Pucci). It’s clear that Winthrop has been through a lot in his life; he doesn’t communicate much, sticks to himself, and takes long walks in the middle of the night. Ellen shows him love and reminds him this is a place he can call home, but their lives become turbulent after letting in the eccentric neighbor Vahna Minter (Isabelle). Ellen starts to experience uneasiness, especially after Vahna warns her about Winthrop; then something terrible happens. Hey, it’s horror – this is how it goes!

The first half of Lockbox focuses on the shaky dynamic between Ellen, Winthrop, and Vahna. Ellen shows loyalty to Winthrop, but it’s clear that she doesn’t fully trust him yet. At the same time, she’s apprehensive about Vahna, who becomes far too comfortable too soon in Ellen’s home. Who can be trusted here? The script does a decent job of maintaining tension and progressively introducing more mystery into the story, all of which elevates the film beyond “there’s something creepy in the house with us.”

The problem lies in the threading and build-up between these moments. You can almost imagine Stamm standing there and holding the twists behind his back, which makes every move more predictable. By the time the story reaches the lockbox aspect – you know, the title of the movie – it’s a giant exposition dump provided by new characters who have been missing for most of the film. While the likes of Insidious and Poltergeist successfully introduce major characters Elise Rainier and Tangina Barrons late in the proceedings, the new additions in Lockbox don’t have the charisma and purpose of the aforementioned characters. They’re plot devices rather than fully functional characters within the story.

While there are scary moments, the best parts occur when Stamm isn’t trying to show them. It’s in the scenes where things are left unsaid and the viewer’s mind fills in the blanks; that’s where the terror lies. Too often, the director falls into the trap of regurgitating tropes and clichés of the genre that don’t add anything new here. If you’re going to do jumpscares or scary demon spooks, think outside of the box in your approach – don’t just repeat everything that’s been done in every mainstream possession movie of the past 25 years.

As horror genre mainstays, Carla Gugino and Katharine Isabelle bring all their experience to Lockbox. Gugino understands the vulnerable protagonist role, eliciting all the care and concern for Ellen. She’s a nice person stuck in a terrible situation, but Gugino’s performance is subtle, knowing when to push and pull to bring the audience along for the ride. As for Isabelle, she lets loose as Vahna. The character walks a fine line between quirky and creepy; like Gugino, Isabelle knows when to hit the accelerator pedal or pump the brakes too.

Due to its so-so execution, Lockbox doesn’t come across as original as it should, but it’s still packed with enough thrills and excellent performances to satisfy horror fans. There’s franchise potential here, that’s for sure.

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