The Home (2025) Roadside Attractions/Horror RT: 95 minutes Rated R (strong bloody violence and gore, language, some sexual content) Director: James DeMonaco Screenplay: James DeMonaco and Adam Cantor Music: Nathan Whitehead Cinematography: Anastas N. Michos Release date: July 25, 2025 (US) Cast: Pete Davidson, John Glover, Bruce Altman, Ethan Phillips, Nathalie Schmidt, Marilee Talkington, Jagger Nelson.
Rating: ***
Teen audiences will likely flock to the recently rebooted I Know What You Did Last Summer, a horror film that’s really more of a date movie with gore. True horror fans who want something more than a bunch of dimwitted young people getting sliced and diced might want to check out The Home, a wild and gory fright ride from James DeMonaco, the guy who wrote and directed the first three Purge movies. It takes a while to really get rolling, but it rocks once it does.
Pete Davidson (SNL) stars as Max, a troubled young man still dealing with the trauma of his foster brother’s suicide when he was a child. A talented artist, he uses his gift to deface public property with graffiti. His latest arrest might have resulted in prison if not for his foster dad’s intervention with the judge. Instead, he sentenced to community service as a janitor at a retirement home. He’s welcomed warmly by staff and residents, but is specifically told to stay off the fourth floor. It’s off limits. It’s reserved for patients with severe problems. He often hears screams through the air vents. Naturally, Max disobeys the directive and ventures up there to have a look. He’s attacked by a crazy old man which results in a reprimand from the head doctor Sabian (Altman, Running Scared).
Let’s cut right to the chase. There’s something sinister going on in that place. A patient who tries to warn Max ends up dead. He stumbles across a private chat room where a distorted figure also warns him about the danger of his new workplace. Max realizes he has to help the residents. It isn’t long before he gets in over his head.
That’s all I want to say about the plot of The Home. To say more would be all kinds of wrong. Why deprive you of the pleasure of watching it unfold? The screenplay by DeMonaco and Adam Cantor is twisty and twisted. You’re never quite sure where they’re taking you and once you think you have it figured out, they make an unexpected turn into Crazy Town. I didn’t have it figured out until the big reveal and even then I was like “HUH?!” It’s that insane. Then there’s the finale, an impressive bloody set-piece right out of an Evil Dead movie (minus Deadites).
Davidson normally plays comedic roles in movies like The King of Staten Island (2020), The Suicide Squad (2021) and Dumb Money (2023). He also appeared in the 2022 horror film Bodies Bodies Bodies. The Home marks the first time he plays the lead in a non-comedy. I give him credit for stepping outside of his comfort zone. He does a pretty good as a young dude beaten down by life. He’s all but given up on himself when he’s given a final chance to get his s*** together. His fear and anxiety as he gets to the truth of his situation feels genuine. The actor-comedian’s real-life past as a stoner (he openly admits to being a regular marijuana user) comes in handy here.
The coolest performance in The Home comes from John Glover (52 Pick-Up) as a resident whose friendliness might be a façade. It’s always great to see him. The actor oozes evil and menace in almost every role he plays. It comes through here. Altman is also good as the doctor with a checkered past. Yes, I’ll give you that much, but only because it’s obvious from his first scene that he’s not to be trusted.
DeMonaco imbues The Home with creepy atmosphere and palpable dread. You know that Max is going to find himself in the middle of a sinister situation. Like many a horror film protagonist, he keeps on putting his nose where it doesn’t belong, going places where he shouldn’t and asking questions that shouldn’t be asked. It’s only a matter of time before it’s too late to stop. The gore effects are very grisly and very good. DeMonaco doesn’t hold back. When somebody falls from a window and gets impaled on a fence, it’s shown in gory detail. Then there’s that ending. WOW! It’s beautifully messy.
The Home is a solid horror movie albeit one with a few pacing issues and a high unbelievability factor. It’s OTT even for the genre. That’s what’s so cool about this movie. DeMonaco goes all in and gives audiences a ride they won’t forget. It’s like a trip through an asylum run by the patients. If you like your entertainment with a generous side of insane, The Home is the movie for you.
