Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Altar’

Written by Scott Edwards 

Working in an old house that has any sort of history attached to it could be a great time for everyone involved, especially when you have been tasked with returning it to its original state. Watching as the clock is being turned back to an era that you have never lived in before makes you feel like you are able to control time. Wanting to do the best job that you can, can also be very hard work since you have to find all of the accessories from the time you are returning the house to. But if there is a resident still residing in the home that does not want any changes made to their house, you may fall into a bit of trouble.

Meg Hamilton is taking her family along with her on her next assignment in the Yorkshire Moors. Being hired to restore an old bed and breakfast to its former Victorian state, it seems like a good project to pull the family together. With her husband Alec, daughter Penny and son Harper at her side, the repairs will take next to no time, along with a group from town, it will be an event of a lifetime. When walking around the house, everyone finds their spots that they will be focusing on, or where they will be staying and Alec finds a painter’s workshop that he will be more than happy in.

When working on one of his projects, Alec cuts his finger and lets the blood flow on to the table. Losing himself for a bit, and watching the blood drop, a new feeling takes over him that he refuses to let go of. Wanting to feel this way forever, he tries to show it to Meg, but when her back is covered in blood, she will have none of it. Although Alec is slowly moving away from the family, he still wants to share in their moments, as long as they are willing to come to him to share them.

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​Penny is not comfortable in the house as she keeps hearing strange knocks around it. When trying to read one of her schoolbooks, a figure appears in the corner of her room and tries to attack her. With nobody believing that it happened, Penny is told that it was just a bad dream, but she knows better. Knowing that it was a ghost, Penny gets some contact information from a man in the area that believes her and against her mother’s will, she invites him over. Mr. Lean enters the house and feels like there is something happening. Upon his inspection, he can smell a potion that has been mixed in the kitchen that allows the living to be infested by the deceased. Trying to warn the family about what is going to happen, he is sent on his way, but leaves them with a treat he has made up himself.

Meg is having her own troubles in the house but does not believe there is anything sinister going on. Even with seeing an unexplained shadow, hearing her daughter's stories about a ghost trying to touch her and her husband’s obsession working with blood, it is not enough. But that changes quickly when she receives a caller that knows about the Rosicrucian mosaic that has been hidden in the attic for many years. The man introduces himself as Mr. Walker, but when she looks up the history on the house, she finds out that he had died in the home one hundred and fifty years ago. As everyone in the house starts to believe that there is something strange happening in their surroundings, Altar brings its mysterious and frightening story to life.

Just your good-hearted ghost story dealing with accidental deaths, possessions and rituals that will leave you wanting more. I must say I was a bit impressed on how the story took a turn for the dark side when I thought it was going to be just another brush off, it all happened in a dream movie. It is not, and I fear that I have mentioned too much about what happens, but as always, I let you be the judge as to whether you like it or not. With some great acting and scares, this movie takes you on a bit of a darker journey than expected and for what it is worth, it is a good thing. Not knowing who is in charge in the house could be the most frightening thing of all, since you are able to see the life fading from someone’s face before they become the head of the estate. Stay Scared.

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