He’s Out There (2/5)

He’s Out There is a horror movie starring Yvonne Strahovski and she’s the reason you should watch it. Also, it is a pretty fascinating watch, but not exactly for good reasons. Out on Netflix in several countries now! 

He’s Out There is on Netflix in several countries (including the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand) now and it’s a very classic horror movie. Unfortunately, the “classic” part is the fact that we have a (stereotypical) villain. And we don’t really get any backstory for him, which makes the entire movie feel pretty weak.

However, what He’s Out There really has going for it, is Yvonne Strahovski. Also, the horror vibe is strong with this movie. You just have to be okay with the story being very thin.

Another thing you have to be okay with is the sound of kids screaming. There is quite a lot of screaming and it gets very tiring.

Yvonne Strahovski to the rescue

These days, Yvonne Strahovski is probably best known for her role on The Handmaid’s Tale. For many horror fans, she’s also known for her recurring role on Dexter. 

Plus, she was in The Predator reboot that came out in 2018. Unfortunately, her role in The Predator was ridiculously small which was such a waste. In He’s Out There, she is the all-important star and she does deliver a stellar performance.

The problem with He’s Out There isn’t the character Yvonne Strahovski plays. Her name is Laura and, in this movie, we get to know her as a wife and mother of two girls. That’s it. We really don’t know anything more about her. 

Or rather, we know that she’s a tough and fierce woman, who will protect her family at all costs. This particular classic horror trope is the best part of He’s Out There. The problem with the movie is the story… or lack thereof.

The two girls in He’s Out There

The two girls portraying her daughters, Kayla and Maddie, are portrayed by Anna Pniowsky and Abigail Pniowsky respectively. And yes, they are real-life sisters.

Both do what they can with the script and directing they’ve been given. Unfortunately, they have to scream alot and be pretty whining and annoying at the most inconvenient times. 

If Abigail Pniowsky (Maddie) seems familiar, it might because she portrayed Amy Adams’ daughter, Hannah, in Arrival. Also, she was in Season 1 of the horror TV series Channel Zero.  

The story in He’s Out There

Honestly, the story in He’s Out There is so weak and one-dimensional, it could be over in 10 minutes. The writer of the screenplay is Mike Scannell and this is his only writing credit.

In the past, he worked as a producer and cinematographer on a few short films, but no writing credits. 

If He’s Out There is any indication of his writing abilities, then he should probably focus on the other elements of filmmaking instead. Of course, there is also the possibility that this movie was edited into a mess. 

Directed by Dennis Iliadis… I mean “Quinn Lasher”

Before this movie ever reached an audience, there was quite a bit of controversy surrounding it. The movie was pretty much done and a poster had been released which stated that Dennies Iliadis (The Last House on the Left) was the director.

Suddenly this was changed on both the poster and on IMDb and the director is now credited as being Quinn Lasher. A person with no other credits to their name.

Read more about this strange development in our story about who Quinn Lasher is here >

After watching He’s Out There on Netflix US, we still don’t know why this credit change happened. But the movie isn’t exactly good, so maybe that’s the reason.

Watch He’s Out There on Netflix

Even though He’s Out There isn’t exactly what I’d call a “good” movie, it does have some good horror moments. Also, the villain has a very interesting look that could work for a franchise.

The movie just desperately needs some back story for the villain which feels like a gaping plot hole. Why does he kill? Well, that’s pretty much up to your interpretation. He’s crazy and yet strangely intelligent. It’s the weakest part of the movie.

Also, you should be aware that He’s Out There has a very strange color grading, It looks very gray and undersaturated. I’m certain it’s intentional, but I really cannot imagine why.

But, as I stated in the beginning, Yvonne Strahovski really is enough reason to watch He’s Out There. And now that it’s on Netflix in several countries, you should give it a shot.

He’s Out There is out on Netflix in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries from January 12, 2019.

Details

Director: Quinn Lasher (Dennis Iliadis)
Writer: Mike Scannell
Cast: Yvonne Strahovski, Anna Pniowsky, Abigail Pniowsky, Ryan McDonald, Justin Bruening, Julian Bailey

Plot

On vacation at a remote lake house, a mother and her two young daughters must fight for survival after falling into a terrifying and bizarre nightmare conceived by a psychopath…