Atticus Virtue (Chad Michael Murray) is the richest man in the world. A tech genius with billions of dollars in the bank. He has everything he could ever want and gives millions of people around the globe the experiences of using the technology he has created that changes lives.
So, when Virtue announces a competition to win his mansion with all the technology that it holds inside, Max Winslow (Sydnee Mikelle) gets really excited – especially when she is chosen as one of the competitors. Along with Max, four other students from her school are chosen; Benny (Jason Genao) a game addicted wise cracker, Sophia (Jade Chynoweth) a social media obsessed star, Aiden (Emery Kelly) the school bully and Connor (Tanner Buchanan) a top lacrosse player and also the boy that Max has a crush on.
When brought together, the teenagers are all excited about what’s to come, but when they meet the mansion’s artificial intelligence, H.A.V.E.N. (Marina Sirtis) then they soon realise that the games she has in mind for them may test more than they’d ever imagined.
Max Winslow and The House of Secrets is a teenage science fiction fantasy that owes more than a little to its influences and shows them off proudly. As the children are met with the challenges that the mansion’s A.I. their challenges start to take the forms of their worst fears and nightmares, which each of them having to overcome them in order to survive.
This turns the movie which into an instant homage to Charlie and The Chocolate Factory as each contestant learns a valuable lesson. However, H.A.V.E.N.’s disembodied voice is also reminiscent of Jigsaw from the Saw franchise and is made all the more sinister by Sirtis’ voiceover. Although thankfully nobody gets permanently mutilated – like they do in Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.
Max Winslow and The House of Secrets is an interesting movie aimed at a teenage market and does indeed play a little like a horror movie at times. However, the moral messages come through and should be clear to its audience, so it takes the edge off a little. Although perhaps not all the messages are as clear as others and it’s not entirely clear what all the lessons are or whether everyone has learnt their lesson.
Max Winslow and The House of Secrets is a movie full of heart, where at least one of the characters will resonate with its audience. The lessons learnt also don’t come across as too preachy, but rather as a reflection on modern day behaviour which many will recognise.
Children will enjoy the movie and who knows, perhaps it will encourage them in later years to watch the horror films it’s influenced by that they are currently too young to enjoy.
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