(Reviewed by Eminem4569) - "In every neighborhood there is one house that adults whisper about and children cross the street to avoid." -Film’s tag line

Fool (Brandon Adams) has just turned 13. Unlike most 13 year olds, he has more problems than just acne. He is living in a dingy ghetto with his sick cancer ridden mom, a sister (Kelly Jo Minter) with too many kids and his sister's scheming boyfriend Leroy (Ving Rhames). Unfortunately, no one has the money to pay the rent, meaning they’re all going to be on the street by midnight tomorrow—unless they can come up with some quick cash. Leroy devises a plan to secure their financial future; it seems he’s found a treasure map that promises to lead to a bunch of gold coins hidden in the house of their landlord. Leroy, Fool, and a buddy of theirs decide to go after the loot and get more than they bargained for.

The landlords (Everett McGill and Wendy Robie) are more than just the everyday upper class money hungry hounds that you would expect. They are a real pair of freaks. Not only do they take great pleasure in dressing up in S & M gear and having wild sexual encounters, they frequently abuse their "daughter" (A.J. Langer) and feed frequent door-to door visitors (salesman, mailmen, Jojobas witnesses) to a group of cannibals they keep locked up in the basement. After a failed attempt to loot the joint, Fool finds himself locked inside a maze with hidden passageways leading through steel walls separating him from the outside world.

This film could be viewed as a creepy horror film. It could also be viewed as a silly horror comedy. However, at its heart this is a classic fairy/folk tale. First, there is the the theme of the kid having to earn manhood and a real name by doing a heroic deed. Then there is the wicked stepparents, hidden treasure (gold coins), a creepy haunted house with secret passages and monsters in the basement. There is also a captive maiden to be rescued who happens to be in a Cinderella like situation and innocent villagers held in slavery by evil (land) lords.

There is also social commentary in the film. The rich land owning white folk (the landlords) taking advantage of the poor ghetto ridden oppressed African-Americans (Fool and company). Then there is the diverse cannibals in the basement representing the middle class, held captive by the rich whites forced to feed on the poor when there's nothing else left to eat.

This is another one of those films along with A Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween I saw a little bit of when I was younger that scared the daylights out of me. This of course ignited a revisiting when I was older. I have seen this film a couple of times now and I enjoy it, however compared to those other two classics it is a disappointment. It isn't done in as well structured manner and not everything Craven tries to do works.

 
This film has it all; horror, action, satire, fairy tale elements, comedy and social commentary. However it doesn’t always come together correctly as the film is a little sloppy at times. However, it is an intelligent and entertaining film. This is one of those I watch every few years.

*** 3 stars