The Lodgers(2017)
2017 · Brian O'Malley · 93 min
1920, rural Ireland. Anglo-Irish twins Rachel and Edward share a strange existence in their crumbling family estate. Each night, the property becomes the domain of a sinister presence (The Lodgers) which enforces three rules upon the twins: they must be in bed by midnight; they may not permit an outsider past the threshold; and if one attempts to escape, the life of the other is placed in jeopardy. When troubled war veteran Sean returns to the nearby village, he is immediately drawn to the mysterious Rachel, who in turn begins to break the rules set out by The Lodgers. The consequences pull Rachel into a deadly confrontation with her brother - and with the curse that haunts them.
Horror · Thriller · Mystery
5.0518 votes
TMDB score
2/5
Intensity
1/5
Gore
3/5
Stays with you
How The Lodgers scares
There's a heavy, waterlogged sadness hanging over every scene, like the house itself is slowly drowning the people inside it. The pace is very slow and dreamlike, building mood through decayed rooms, mist, and eerie rules rather than sudden shocks. It leans more into sorrow and dread than outright horror, with a gothic, fairy-tale feel and barely any blood. This is a good pick if you want something moody and sad that lingers quietly rather than something that makes you jump.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, The Lodgers rates psychological 4/5, visceral 2/5, gore 1/5, lingering effect 3/5, and overall intensity 2/5.
- Psychological: 4 of 5
- Visceral: 2 of 5
- Gore: 1 of 5
- Lingering: 3 of 5
- Intensity: 2 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 15 of 100 — leans Slow burn
Supernatural vs Real-world: 10 of 100 — leans Supernatural
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 60 of 100 — leans Disturbing
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
A slow, moody gothic creep that builds patiently through atmosphere before tightening into a tense, escalating final act.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5.
How scary is The Lodgers?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, The Lodgers rates 2/5 — moderately scary, building its fear through slow-burn dread rather than shocks. The fear is mostly in your head — it unsettles far more than it assaults. Expect it to be restrained with gore and genuinely disturbing. Some of it will follow you to bed, but it lets go within a day or so.
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