The 2005 remake doesn't hold a candle to the original.
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.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] for horror violence, some sexual content and language.
Runtime: 1 hr 53 mins
Genre: Horror/Suspense
Theatrical Release:2005-Summer
Box Office: $32,000,834
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.
Get This Movie
Reviews for House of Wax
... doesn’t look down upon its target audience... House both treats and terrorizes while legitimizing itself next to other slasher classics.
You'll be rooting for these people to get slaughtered out of sheer boredom.
The unmistakable promise of a sequel in the last scene inspires more resignation than anticipation.
Such a vile and despicable heap of trash that I pity any lucid person who will actually pay decent money to sit through it.
When the cast starts wondering where the roadkill is, someone says, 'Follow the smell.' Good tip: That's how you'll know where Wax is playing.
It delivers some bracingly nasty gore scenes, but there's no spark left in the run-scream-repeat formula, and a movie whose biggest draw is profoundly untalented hotel-fortune heiress Paris Hilton is in desperate need of some juice.
It's nowhere near as punishing as Rob Zombie's House of 1,000 Corpses, but it's increasingly tense and resourceful and, in the end, it gets the sick job done.
The debut feature from director Jaume Collet-Serra does two things rare in the horror genre: It takes its time and it actually gets better as it goes along.
The movie would have been creepier if it had shut us inside the museum, and given us more creative wax-based killings instead of revisiting familiar slasher-flick stuff.
A remake in title only, this House of Wax is mostly inspired by The Twilight Zone and the Friday the 13th movies.
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...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
| 53% 53% | David & Layla |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- House of Wax at Rotten Tomatoes
- House of Wax at IGN
- House of Wax at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

TECHLAND gives us a first look at the extras, including Leonard Nimoy's last day on set!

AV Club looks at a beloved cult classic, Sam Raimi's Army of Darkness.

TIME offers us a closer look at the characters from the latest Twilight film.

Moviefone lists their choices for the least attractive men in Hollywood.
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!



Top Critic


