Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ’21 Days’

Written by Scott Edwards

​Wanting to prove or disprove a haunting is something that every paranormal investigator wants to be able to do, but mostly they want to be the first ones to get a clear picture of a ghost. There is nothing wrong with that, as most people are fascinated by things that they have never seen. But there can be much more to that, since in today’s day and age, if you get some great video and put it on YouTube and get a million views, you can make some money as well. There is nothing wrong in wanting something for the fame, but you have to be willing to pay the toll when it is applied, just some quick food for thought there.
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Hearing about an old house that nobody has been able to live in for more than twenty-one days, filmmakers Jacob, Shauna and Kurt are ready to get their name in the record books. Being able to find the town’s local historian, they are able to get all of the insights of what people are saying about the house and where the previous tenants went, but not what scared the people away. With plenty of different opinions around town about the house being haunted or it being a hoax, Jacob has been able to secure the house for twenty-one days from the bank and is ready to document everything that happens inside the creepy walls.

Arriving at the house and taking their first look around, the three see that the last story about the Thompson family was absolutely true. Leaving all of their belongings in the house, actually leaving mid meal, the three also take notice that all of the mirrors are covered up. As there is one story that the walls hold a demon inside and the mirrors allow it to gain power, the group does not believe this to be fact and take down all of the coverings to see what happens. Before getting locked into the house for the next three weeks, the group takes a little stroll into the woods behind the house to try and pinpoint an ancient Indian burial ground that is also part of the legend. Finding it easily by the dreamcatchers marking their territory, the group is surprised, but not too shocked as Jacob believes that they are being targeted by the locals to drive them away from the house.

Nothing will keep Jacob from getting his fame and locking himself and crew into the house, they are ready for anything, at least that is what they think. As the first couple nights go by and the group is not noticing anything, Shauna hears a strange knocking sound in the middle of the night and tries to find out where it is coming from. As the EMF detectors go off, she knows that there is something in the house, but is not sure what the readings really mean. The nights continue with strange occurrences, but nothing too rattling until Shauna’s timeline board gets some new artwork added to it. Seeing a strange symbol inked with blood over pictures from her cell phone, she is ready to leave, but Jacob will not allow it. Knowing that there has to be a reason for this, mainly that Kurt is playing a trick on them, Shauna is about to lose her mind. But that is just the beginning of what will be the end of the team as tensions grow high and even though they know they need to leave, Jacob will not back down on getting a television contract and the group will need to stay with him in the house for the full twenty-one days, or all is lost.

I liked how the story started and getting a ton of back ground on the house and what happened to the families living there for less than three weeks. As the children were targeted by whatever was in the house, I guess the parents just had to put up with the torments as well. As far as ghost hunters go, I was rather disappointed in how their equipment was used throughout, but that was not really the story that was being told. I was really blown away by the lack of using the mirrors throughout, as it was a main element in the stories that the townsfolk told, along with the Native American experts that the group contacted. Outside of those two things, I liked the movie, it had some moments that made it apparent that there is something in the house that is looking to be left alone, but nobody bothers to notice. Stay Scared.

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