A decade on from the initial rise of the Paranormal Activity franchise, we’re still knee-deep in films revolving around ghosts and demons. The found footage aspects of that series may have subsided, but with newer sags such as Insidious and The Conjuring creeping up in more recent years, the subgenre is still going strong. Which brings us to Don’t Knock Twice.
Films of this ilk are a dime a dozen, but what separates Don’t Knock Twice from the pack is that it has some pedigree to it. In front of the camera, we have fan favorite genre actress Katee Sackhoff. While probably best known overall for her roles in TV shows such as “Battlestar Galactica” and “Longmire”, Sackhoff is no newcomer to the horror genre. Fright fiends will likely recognize her from her turns in Halloween: Resurrection, Riddick, and Oculus, among others. Creature feature fanatics will also be pleased to learn that Javier Botet is utilized well here as a demon. Botet’s ever-terrifying work has previously been showcased in Mama, The Conjuring 2, Crimson Peak, and the [REC] films. He’ll also feature this year in Alien: Covenant, The Mummy, and It.
Most horror films with a decent budget these days can afford at least one or two recognizable performers. Even terrible films can goose you into seeing them if a familiar face is involved. So what makes Don’t Knock Twice interesting beyond this? It’s directed by Caradog James. While I cannot speak to the quality of his first film, the 2006 comedy Little White Lies, I can certainly vouch for his second feature. A science fiction thriller, 2013’s The Machine is one of the better indie sci-fi flicks to come out in recent years and is sadly a movie that continues to be underseen.
James wrote and directed The Machine, and while he only directed this, his fingerprints are clearly still in it. Don’t Knock Twice is directed with a far surer hand than much of its competition, giving it a sense of style that most similar films lack. That alone helps to set it apart, making Botet’s creepy creature work and Sackhoff’s good performance as the adult lead nice bonuses.
I only wish James had written this as well. There’s nothing particularly wrong with the narrative here or how it plays out. It’s just that it has been done before and it’s been done better. The lead performances are good and James’ direction elevates it, but there’s only so much all parties can do with this run-of-the-mill script. What we are left with is an Insidious-esque tale where someone is marked with a curse that keeps following them no matter where they go. The film contains some cool sequences, but not enough of them to recommend someone going out of their way to see it. Don’t Knock Twice certainly isn’t a bad film, but it’s the kind of movie best experienced on streaming or cable when you’re lounging on your catch on a rainy afternoon.
Don’t Knock Twice is currently available to rent across most VOD (Video on Demand) platforms.
