Here is My Movie Review for The Man In My Basement

 

Here is My Movie Review for The Man In My Basement 

Now when this film was announced I was very curious about this film mainly because it starred Willem Dafoe who was an actor I really enjoy in films like the Northman Spider-Man No Way Home Among many other films he has been in. So I watched this film and I have to say this is probably the most entertaining Stones of 2025. Now I will say movies like Superman,  28 Years Later are a lot better but this film was really entertaining. 

Now the story is really interesting because it focuses around this guy named Charles Blakely who is one day approached by this guy named Anniston Bennett who wants to buy his house but Charles refuses. So Anniston Bennett decides to live in his basement and it doesn't sound that bad because Charles at first doesn't mine Anniston Bennett because he's shown to be really nice but as the film goes on Charles starts to suspect there something off about him so he has to do everything power to get and Anniston Bennett out of his house and that's basically what the story is for this film. Now the storyline is really It's really disturbing but really interesting having it revolve around this guy who doesn't  who doesn't want this random person to crash at their house but he will want to make decides to let really creepy and unstable guy to stay in the basement but then he eventually has enough that wants to get rid of him and it is a really interesting concept in the film executes it perfectly.

Now the performances are incredible because all the actors managed to give really creepy but really captivating performances because you can tell that these actors are having the time of their lives  in the film. I think the acting is up there with the acting in The long walk and one of the best acted films of 2025. 

Corey Hawkins plays Charles Blakely In the film and his performance is magnificent because he gets such a raw and remarkable performances as this character because when Charles Blakley need to be all stressed out and worried Corey Hawkins does a glorious job of doing that when the character need to be emotional Hawkins does a great job with that as well. Now the character of Charles Blakely is someone you do feel bad for because he is about to lose his house and he doesn't want Anniston Bennett to take his house because he thinks that  Anniston Bennett is going to take over his house. The scenes with Charles Blakely are terrific whether it is the scene of him telling Anniston Bennett that he can't have his house or him going down into the basement and serving Anniston Bennett It does lead to some really unsettling and creepy moments throughout the film. The chemistry between him and  Willem Dafoe is magnificent. 

Now let's talk about Willem Dafoe. Now he is a tremendous actor. He has given some really entertaining and captivating performances and films like Togo, Spider-Man No Way Home, and The Last Temptation Of Christ. Even in films where he plays a minor role like Asteroid City, The Northman, The Card Counter. He still gives really amazing performances. Now with this film that's no different because Willem Dafoe Give another incredible because he probably gives one of the most creepiest but yet most captivating performances of his entire career as the character of Anniston Bennett because when the character needs to be calm and manipulative Willem Dafoe does a fantastic job with that when the character needs to be really horrifying and crazy he also does a magnificent job of pulling that off as well because if you think about it you could say that Willem Dafoe is kind of playing the Joker in this movie because he switches from being calm to being downright psychopathic Because this is probably the closest thing we are going to get to having Willem Dafoe play The Joker in live action Now The character of Anniston Bennett Is really incredible because when you first introduce to him he doesn't seem that crazy he wants To buy Charles Blakely’s house and wants to live in the basement. But later on Anniston Bennett starts to go absolutely ballistic and wants Charles Blakely to stay in the basement with him. The scene with Anniston Bennett  are some of the best moments you will ever see Willem Dafoe In a film whether it is Anniston Bennett telling Charles Blakley to give him a book Or him violently trying to choke Charles Blankly in the basement while he is in the cage it does lead to some downright horrifying and very messed up moments in the film but it works because You could say Willem Dafoe is playing The Joker in this movie the way he  playing mind games with Charles Blakely. I still think Anniston Bennett is up there with Galactus from Fantastic 4 First Steps as one of the best villains of 2025. The chemistry between him and Corey Hawkins is terrific. 

However the best thing about this movie is the directing by Nadia Latif because for this being her directorial debut she still does a magnificent job directing this film because what I love about her directing is that she does a magnificent job of making you sympathize with Charlie Blankly Because this is a guy that's having a lot of bad luck in particular having his house being taken away having a during psycho live in his basement and you really want him to get Anniston Bennett  out of his house and out of his basement so he doesn't try to kill him. I also like how she develops the character of  Anniston Bennett because make a villain both somewhat down-to-earth but also really disturbing because this is a guy who's obsessed with Charles Blankly and wants him to stay with him forever in the basement because he believed that Charles Blakely is his friend. I think it is really incredible how she did that. I am looking forward to what she's going to direct in the future. 

So in conclusion I really enjoyed this film the storyline was really disturbing but really interesting haven't revolved around this guy who is about to lose his house and then this random guy decides to stay in the basement and essentially manipulates and tortures Charles blankly into being his best friend is a really creepy and disturbing concept and the film executes it perfectly. To be honest the storyline is probably up there with The storyline in Warfare With Joseph Quinn as one of the best storylines of 2025. Also the performances are really amazing the obvious big standout is Willem Dafoe Because he gives one of the most creepiest but one of the most charismatic performances of the entire film because you get to tell that he is having a lot of fun in the film as the character Anniston Bennett  because again you can view this performance as a prototype version of him playing the Joker in a Batman movie because there are some similarities to the Joker and Anniston Bennett because both of them like to manipulate the main character in both of them are really crazy and really downright psychopathic. Also Anniston Bennett is probably up there with The High Evolutionary from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 as one of the best villains of the 2020s. This is probably one of Willem Dafoe’s most entertaining films because I do think films like Murder On The Orient Express, Togo, The Lighthouse, and Spider-Man No Way Home are better Willem Dafoe films. But this one it's still one of his most entertaining films. I have to say this film is probably up there with The long walk with Mark Hamill as one of the best films of 2025. I highly recommend you watch this film especially if you like really creepy and suspenseful films like Locked with Bill Skarsgard. Then I'm sure you're going to like this film. I give this film a 10/10.