Meanwhile, the audience wonders when Paris Hilton will be eviscerated for their enjoyment.
House of Wax (2005)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:145
Fresh:37
Rotten:108
Average Rating:4.3/10
Consensus: Bearing little resemblance to the 1953 original, House of Wax is a formulaic but better-than-average teen slasher flick.
Runtime: 1 hr 53 mins
Genre: Horror/Suspense
Synopsis: In this remake of the classic 1953 Andre de Toth film that starred Vincent Price, horrors abound in a creepy wax museum. A group of road-tripping Florida teenagers (Elisha Cuthbert, Chad Michael... In this remake of the classic 1953 Andre de Toth film that starred Vincent Price, horrors abound in a creepy wax museum. A group of road-tripping Florida teenagers (Elisha Cuthbert, Chad Michael Murray, Paris Hilton, Robert Ri'chard, Jared Padalecki, and Jon Abrahams) stop to camp near a small town where an abandoned wax museum draws their curiosity. Upon exploring the scary cobwebbed space, they find that the figures are not only eerily lifelike, but that the entire museum--floor to ceiling--is actually made of wax. If that wasn't enough to scare them, they encounter a couple of very unsettling characters who seem to be the only people around for miles. One is a blood-splattered redneck who collects roadkill, dumping the bodies of dead deer into a fetid carcass swamp. The other is Bo (Brian Van Holt), a gas station attendant who lures the kids back to his house. Soon, through a series of stomach-turning slasher scenes featuring scissors, long knives, and even a pair of pliers, the teens get to know Bo a whole lot better. They even meet his insane brother Vincent (also played by Van Holt). Brief interludes of teen squabbling and a Hilton strip tease in red lace lingerie temporarily break the tension, but for the most part this HOUSE OF WAX stays the course with shockingly gory moments that earn grosser-than-gross status. Sick predilections involving an experimental surgical station and an elaborate wax-coating machine reveal Vincent's artistic process. But before the bloodbath is over, more twisted secrets about Bo and Vincent bubble to the surface, resulting in a spectacular grand finale and total meltdown. [More]
Starring: Elisha Cuthbert, Chad Michael Murray, Brian Van Holt, Paris Hilton
Starring: Elisha Cuthbert, Chad Michael Murray, Brian Van Holt, Paris Hilton, Jared Padalecki, Jon Abrahams, Robert Ri'chard
Director: Jaume Collet-Sera
Director: Jaume Collet-Sera
Screenwriter: Chad Hayes, Carey W. Hayes
Producer: Joel Silver, Robert Zemeckis, Susan Levin
Composer: John Ottman
Studio: Warner Bros.
Reviews for House of Wax
This isn't so much a remake of the 1953 classic as a standard slasher movie grafted onto a familiar title.
[House of Wax] gleefully trots out all the clichés of the genre before going out in a blaze of glory with a truly spectacular final act.
Not just fun and funny (don't forget, Paris Hilton's in it), but it's also surprisingly frightening.
After one gets past the trendy casting of Paris Hilton, this above-average horror flick actually surfaces from the bloody pit of remakes clutching a few decent ideas.
Mal actuada, mal editada, previsible de principio a fin y sin terror alguno de por medio, es una de esas cintas que deberían haberse quedado en la fase de proyecto.
(Director) Collet-Serra has no facility for suspense or mood, and he stretches out the brain-dead dialogue and plodding plot until it's numbing.
Redeemed by the surreal nightmare of its fiery finale, when it's not a wicked witch but the world itself that seems to be crying, 'I'm melting...'
A horror movie can get away with a lot, but once it crosses a certain line, it is insulting to viewers. House of Wax crosses that line.
My contempt for this film is so great, I'm reluctant to even call it a film, as that designation places it in the pantheon of works by Welles, Hitchcock and even Ed Wood.
We'll always have Paris. But for almost an hour, we endure these dumb children bickering, wandering aimlessly, insulting local hayseeds, and not having sex. That's hot.
A roughhouse between the Hayes's dingbatty script...and director Sera's winking and surprisingly skillful treatment of it...ultimately disappointing.
Not to focus too much on Paris Hilton, but she brings an art to bad acting.
how seriously should any film be taken when it has Paris Hilton and her lacy red lingerie in a supporting role?
Latest News for House of Wax
September 23, 2008:
Selsus.com: Cekici, seksi, zevkli ve urpertici bir korku. ![]()
More...
September 23, 2008:
Cineteka.com: Quente, sexy, deliciosamente, assustador. ![]()
More...
November 30, 2007:
Peter Sarsgaard and Vera Farmiga Adopt a Scary Orphan
Horror trends come and go, but through 'em all, one thing remains the same: Kids are creepy. More...
July 30, 2007:
Paris Hilton Joins Bousman's Rock Opera
Remember how "Saw" sequel maker Darren Lynn Bousman signed a deal to do a musical called "Repo! The Genetic Opera"? Yeah, for Lionsgate. And you'll never guess who he just cast... More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 86% 86% | A Christmas Tale |
| 60% 60% | Paper Heart |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- House of Wax at Rotten Tomatoes
- House of Wax at IGN
- House of Wax at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

