Rotten
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.
Variety Staff, Variety
The People Under the Stairs
In every neighborhood, there is one house that adults whisper about and children cross the street to avoid.
1991 · 1h 43m · R
Comedy, Horror
Directed by
Wes Craven
Overview
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.
Director and cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
67%
Tomatometer
Rotten
There are a few push-button frights, but a total dearth of mind-disturbing terror; the humour, too, is broad, crowd-pleasing stuff.
Nigel Floyd, Time Out
Fresh
Though the new movie has its share of blood and gore, it is mostly creepy and, considering the bizarre circumstances, surprisingly funny.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
Rotten
Craven has been directing downhill since his terror triptych of "Last House on the Left," "The Hills Have Eyes" and the original "Nightmare on Elm Street," so it's hardly surprising that he hits bottom with "The People Under the Stairs."
Richard Harrington, Washington Post
Rotten
If there were truth in advertising, The People Under the Stairs would be called The Not Very Scary Movie Set Inside a Grungy, Badly Lit House.
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
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