Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Don’t Knock Twice’

Written by Scott Edwards

It is difficult to reconnect with someone that you leave in the hands of others, none more so than a parent trying to gain the love and respect back from a child they let go of. Being raised by someone else because their parent is unfit is a story that is becoming more relevant these days. With so many people knowing that they cannot take care of their children, it is a wonder that they continue to have them. While giving up the custody of their child to make sure they can live a safe and healthy life can be considered noble, it is next to impossible to explain that to the youngsters when they are able to form their own opinions.
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After seeing her mother for a few minutes, Chloe needs some time to clear her head and going out with her good friend Danny is just the ticket. Talking about life and watching as some kids play ding dong ditch, Danny wants to recreate the good times they had when they were younger. Heading to the old run-down house of Mary Aminov where they used to play this game, they give the door two knocks to see if the urban legend about the house is true. Knocking on the door and finding nothing, Danny finds out quickly that old Mary exists after all and wants him for something much more sinister. Not being able to connect with her best friend and being harassed by a demon, Chloe is forced to head back to her mother’s house for some sort of safety.

Jess and Ben are more than happy to have Chloe under the same roof as them and have a room all set up for their estranged teen. Seeing the relationship between Ben and Jess is making Chloe question everything in their relationship, especially because the only memories she has of her mother was of Jess being high all of the time. Trying to make it not look like the money that Ben brings in is the sole reason for their love, Chloe hears that her mother paid for half of their massive house and takes plenty of responsibility for her life choices. But when trying to eat dinner, Chloe sees something disturbing in her curry and leaves the room in a huff thinking that they are messing with her.

After being left alone with her daughter, Jess has a vivid dream and sees an old woman kill herself for no reason. Being woken up by Chloe and telling her about what she had seen, the two are able to bond a little bit over the vision, but neither of them know what is coming for them. After meeting with one of her models and hearing that her daughter is marked, Jess tries everything in her power to make sure that Chloe does not take anything personal. While trying to bond at her art studio, Chloe is attacked and is forced to come clean about her childhood past that may be coming back to haunt her. Thinking that this is all silly, Jess starts to notice some strange things happening around the house and knows that only her love and strength will be able to help her daughter through the battle with a demon who is looking to feast on her soul.

While this movie is tagged as horror, it is really a mystery as well, one that the viewer needs to pay attention to, in order to figure out what is happening on the screen. I left out the storyline about Jess’ model, because while it is a big part of the story, it also leaves us with the most questions after the credits roll. I must admit that I was captivated by both Jess and Chloe throughout the movie, both actresses did a fantastic job bringing their characters to life. I really liked that when the finale started, and you are left with conflicting opinions about what is going on by the characters, the story did follow through with the one that they choose, as it could have gone so many other ways. With a vengeful ghost, a demon, knocks on the door, electrical issues, no way to separate yourself from fate and a storyline that comes through full circle, this is a pretty good movie that will keep you guessing who is on the straight and narrow and who is looking to fulfill their destiny. Stay Scared.

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