As a longtime fan of KallMeKris aka Kris Collins, whose wholesome Tiktoks are filled with charming characters in wacky situations, I was more than curious when I heard she was not only making a horror film, but writing and directing a found footage film no less, that’s hitting theaters this week – House on Eden. The film teams Kris up with fellow influencer Celina Myers aka CelinaSpookyBoo, and editor Jason-Christopher Mayer as a trio of ghost hunters who believe they’re on their way to a well-known spirit hot spot only to discover Kris is taking them to a mysterious place she found that is yet to be explored/exploited by this odd slice of social media.
Since the internet is all about being first, the three brave their way to the house that definitely starts showing promise of a possibly dark spiritual presence.
Eden is written, directed and stars Kris as a sociopathic social media clout chaser, who decides to put her friends and herself in danger for the chance to make a viral video. She uses her real social media identity, which is a weird, complicated and somewhat ego driven call. This choice adds an odd bit of baggage, on top of her less than likable character whose performance is sadly stuck in first gear for the majority of the film. This shortcoming is highlighted by those around her who are definitely turning in some much more thoughtful takes compared to the star. It’s a disappointing turn given I’ve seen her work before and what I know she’s absolutely capable of more nuance and range.
The script here feels mostly improvised, which isn’t a bad thing, but it always feels like it’s struggling to fill up runtime. Comedy bits just drag on and the more dramatic pieces that need more space to breathe are sadly snuffed out. It’s a real shame because there’s definitely something in there to be explored with the trio’s troubled relationships and the ending reveal. But it’s just not developed enough before our characters are then forced to meet their fates one by one, before we as an audience have formed any real attachment to any of them. The presented mythology is interesting, but a bit superficial.
House on Eden is disappointing as it is frustrating, because I know Kris could do better. While the nudity (not by any of our stars) and language sets the piece apart from her normal content, it just honestly feels like an extended skit gone wrong, in a bad way. I think the deceptive thing about found footage is how easy it seems, that is until you’re tasked with crafting your own narrative in that space. House on Eden should be a warning to those looking to try their hand at this for themselves, since it does the impossible of making one of the most likable people on the internet completely unlikeable.
