“House on Eden” Is Passably Spooky

House on Eden (Kris Collins, 2025) 2½ out of 5 stars

TikTok stars Kris Collins and Celina Myers, along with their longtime editor Jason-Christopher Mayer, pool their internet clout and influence to take a stab at the once-popular horror subgenre: found footage. In House on Eden, directed and written by Collins, we are placed into the literal—albeit fictionalized—perspectives of Collins, Myers, and Mayer, themselves. These three are on the road, driving in the middle of nowhere, to shoot a new video for their online series “Spooky AF.”

The trio’s journey takes a massive detour when Kris convinces Celina and Jason to explore an abandoned house in the woods. Despite Celina and Jason’s reservations, Kris is convinced that a video about this house and its creepy backstory is exactly what their series needs right now. As expected, unbridled curiosity and eagerness are never welcomed warmly in a horror story.

In her Director’s Statement to the press, Kris Collins talks about not wanting to reinvent the wheel with House on Eden, and in that she has succeeded. The plotting is unsurprising once you familiarize yourself with the film’s clear inspirations: The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity. Collins confidently showcases her grasp of the elements that must be included in any worthy ghost story.

The first two acts of The House on Eden are passably unnerving as Collins lights the film’s slow-burn wick. As the social-media trio draws nearer to the abandoned house, they come across weird disturbances in the woods that hint at some kind of otherworldly activity. Is this activity demonic? Witchcraft?

Sadly, the film’s intrigue raises far too many questions—rather than tantalizing possibilities—for the viewer. Keep in mind that the task of baiting the audience with information and then withholding that information is difficult even for more seasoned filmmakers. The fact that Collins knows to do that all proves that she’s paying attention to the genre, which gives her room to improve her craft a great deal the next time around.

Patrick Howard

Patrick Howard has been a cinephile since age seven. Alongside 10 years of experience in film analysis and criticism, he is a staunch supporter of all art forms and believes their influence and legacy over human culture is vital. Mr. Howard takes the time to write his own narrative stories when he can.