Director: Jon Wright.
The screenplay was very well written, establishing the main characters and their conflicts effectively and quickly. As the movie progressed into the 2nd act, the characters developed in a well-crafted writing style. However, the issue with the film lies in its 3rd act. It seems like Warner Brothers decided to intervene and divert the story from tragedy to horror with a happy ending. This mistake destroyed all the great things this film delivered until the 3rd act.
The visual style was exceptional, playing with themes of an Irish fairytale, leprechauns, and gnomes. The separation of the filming location of the house exterior to a studio set added to the overall feeling of a fairytale – like a gnome’s house. It was a visual treat to watch.
While watching the film, I found myself wondering whether the term "little people" was borrowed or referenced from Haruki Murakami's 1Q84. It would be interesting to know if anyone else picked up on this too.
Overall, I enjoyed "Unwelcome" and would recommend it as a case study for those interested in screenwriting. The characters and their arcs were very well written until the 3rd act. However, there is a lot to learn from the mistakes made at the end of the film.
Verdict: 2.5 / 5 ★ - BAD ending :-(
