Synopsis
Trapped inside a fortified home owned by a mysterious couple, a young boy quickly learns the true nature of the homicidal inhabitants, and secret creatures hidden deep within the walls.
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Cast
- Brandon Quintin AdamsFool
- Everett McGillMan
- Wendy RobieWoman
- A.J. LangerAlice
- Ving RhamesLeroy
- Sean WhalenRoach
- Bill CobbsGrandpa Booker
- Kelly Jo MinterRuby
- Jeremy RobertsSpencer
- Conni Marie BrazeltonMary
Recommendations
- 80
Empire
This movie-movie gem scores on levels few horror films ever have. Not just a disturbing ride but also a hard-hitting political statement. - 75
Entertainment Weekly
People is a bizarre fairy tale that never loses its sly intelligence even when fulfilling its gross-out quota. - 67
Austin Chronicle
While The People Under the Stairs may leave some horror fans unsatisfied and other horror detractors repulsed, it ought to satisfy those viewers who appreciate a thoughtful and visceral movie entertainment. - 60
The New York Times
Though the new movie has its share of blood and gore, it is mostly creepy and, considering the bizarre circumstances, surprisingly funny. - 60
CineVue
Though it may not be one of Craven’s very best efforts, it does create a sense of tension seldom felt in horror cinema. - 40
Time Out
Craven aims for an archetypal confrontation between childlike innocence and wicked step- parent cruelty, but the results are more grim than Grimm. - 40
Variety
A pretense of social responsibility and most of the necessary tension get lost in a combination of excessive gore and over-the-top perfs in The People Under the Stairs. - 30
Washington Post
Craven also wrote the script here, based on a news story about California parents who kept their children locked in the basement for many years. That's scary -- and so is how far Craven has fallen.
