Film Preview: The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018)

Page Revisions:

(April 1, 2018) Original
(July 1, 2018) New Trailer (#2) / New Poster (#2)
(September 16, 2018) New Posters (#3-#4)

Release Date:

September 21, 2018

Synopsis:

From IMDb: “A young orphan named Lewis Barnavelt aids his magical uncle in locating a clock with the power to bring about the end of the world.”

Poster Rating: C+ / B / B- / C+

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Review: (#1) Nice colors don’t counteract the surprising blandness of it all.

(#2) This new poster has a lot of detail and adequately explores the premise and fantastical elements of the film itself, which is precisely what’s needed to sell this to younger audiences.

(#3) This poster is a bit unique in the marketplace thanks to its colors, which are rarely combined in poster design and make for a lively and visually pleasing design. (#4) While this hand-drawn design has a lot of detail to look at, it also feels like the artist was trying a little bit too hard to force those details in.

Trailer Rating: A- / B-

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Review: (#1) It’s easy to forget how hard it is to sell children’s films like this, but the trailer’s creators seem to have found a way with a mysterious plot, surprising characters, and plenty of stylistic charm to sell itself.

(#2) The first trailer was an interesting tease. This second trailer adds a lot of detail to the story, explaining its narrative while perhaps overplaying its hand and giving away too much. While the same lush visuals are present, the sense of wonder has faded.