Trapped Inside: 5 Movies Like The Last House on Netflix
With a marketing campaign that included having a man live inside a billboard poster for several days, Netflix’s The Last House grabbed headlines and viewing figures upon release.
During its first week on the streaming giant, The Last House managed to top the viewing charts in 82 countries and, as word of mouth travels, it remains a popular release.
The story sees a family of four suddenly sealed within their home. They have no way out and have to work together in order to survive. The family are not the only group stranded at home, with several of their neighbours also suffering the same fate. Others find themselves trapped outdoors and it quickly becomes apparent that being locked inside is perhaps the better of the two scenarios as the family get word of creatures roaming the land. The Last House has a great claustrophobic atmosphere, leaning into paranoia and shadows to keep both the characters and audience on edge as they try to puzzle out the reason for their mysterious entrapment.
If you are one of the millions of people that tuned into The Last House on Netflix and are now after movies with a similar vibe, here are five films to chase it with.
Not to be confused with Rian Johnson’s teen-noir of the same name, Brick is another Netflix movie that chronicles the plight of people trapped inside their homes. The German language film follows couple Tim and Olivia who find themselves encased in their apartment building. The pair wake up one day to discover strange magnetic black bricks blocking all exit points from their home. They are also rendered unable to communicate with the outside world as the magnetic field from the blocks prevents any phone or internet signal from reaching them. Tim and Olivia have no choice but to rely on each other and their neighbours to have any hope of getting out.
Reminiscent of Cube, Brick has a great high-concept hook, and the sci-fi aspects of the story present plenty of intrigue, ensuring a fun and tense film.
In 10 Cloverfield Lane, Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Michelle awakens inside a bunker owned by John Goodman’s Howard. He claims that he rescued her after she had been in a car wreck and that she cannot leave as the air outside is poisoned. Michelle is then introduced to a third occupant, Emmett (played by John Gallagher Jr.), and she begins to acclimatise to her situation. However, Howard’s words never quite feel right and as Michelle’s memory starts to return, she starts to suspect that Howard might have nefarious plans for her.
10 Cloverfield Lane provides horribly intense viewing. At no point does Michelle feel entirely safe and John Goodman, previously known for playing jolly good guys, is incredible as Howard. He toes the line between menacing monster and a Ned Flanders vibe in a way that really gets under your skin. Its absolute shining star, however, comes in the closing moments as the viewer realises how it connects into the Cloverfield universe.
Watching Right at Your Door in a post pandemic world is horribly uncomfortable. The film, directed by Chris Gorak, is a harrowing watch, and one that encourages the audience to put themselves in the main character's shoes. Although made back in 2006 and following a very different threat to Covid, there are elements baked within it that were eerily prophetic, which makes it a borderline triggering watch.
Set in the immediate aftermath of a chemical attack on Los Angeles, Right at Your Door follows the survival journey of Brad and his wife Lexi. While Brad was at home, Lexi was out at work, but by the time she arrives home, Brad has sealed up the house. The film then follows as Brad must decide whether or not to let Lexi in. A proper pressure cooker movie, Right at Your Door has one kicker of an ending, bleak doesn’t even begin to cover it.
Directed by Xavier Gens, best known for his work in New French Extremity, The Divide follows a group of New York residents who flee to the basement of their apartment building after a nuclear explosion. Eight of them manage to gain entry to the bomb shelter. What plays out next is a wonderfully intense study of the human condition as the film questions whether the group are safer together or alone.
Although Rotten Tomatoes doesn’t have a whole lot of love for The Divide, the film is a fascinating character study. Granted it goes fairly heavy on the nihilism, but what else do you expect from the mind behind Frontier(s)?
Panic Room is one of David Fincher’s most overlooked movies. With films such as Se7en and Fight Club on his resume it can be easy to understand how this taut, self-contained thriller might struggle to catch attention, but it is definitely worth your time. Meg and her daughter, Sarah, have their home broken into, but luckily Meg has installed a panic room into the building and the pair manage to lock themselves inside. The problem, however, is that the item the group of thieves are hunting is locked in the room with them. As they begin to try and break into the sanctum, mother and daughter must fight back.
Featuring Jodie Foster and a young Kristen Stewart, Panic Room is worth watching for them alone. They make a very convincing mother and daughter, and both are at the top of their game, their performances lifting what could otherwise be a paint by numbers thriller.
