“Everyone remembers where they were when the rains came.” Those early words introduce us to the high-concept premise of Netflix’s new apocalyptic science fiction thriller “The Last House”. Director Louis Leterrier, working from a script by screenwriter Matthew Robinson, takes a suspenseful setup, infuses it with survival elements, and even dabbles in classic creature feature territory. But it surprises most as a domestic drama, where family dynamics are challenged as the situations intensify.

Robinson wrote a big chunk of “The Last House” during the COVID-19 pandemic, and much of his story mirrors the emotional and psychological impact the lockdowns had on people across the globe. The same feelings of fear, isolation, and uncertainty that paralyzed many parts of society is baked into Robinson’s story. And it fits nicely within the dystopian sci-fi world he and Leterrier creates.

Wagner Moura plays Jason Delgado, an unemployed engineer and part-time fisherman who lives in Seattle with his wife Ann (Greta Lee) and their two children, 12-year-old Graham (Noah Alexander Sosnowski) and 8-Year-Old Ruth (Riley Chung). After a sudden and unexpected rainstorm drives them inside, the Delgado family makes an alarming discovery. They and everyone in their neighborhood find themselves sealed inside their homes by the mysteriously anomalous rainwater.

Jason tries everything – breaking windows, hammering through walls, even escaping through the attic. But every attempt is thwarted by the seemingly sentient rainwater which forms impenetrable barriers that he can’t break through. While they have electricity, water, and gas, they immediately lose phone and internet service. It’s the same with all their neighbors who the Delgados are able to communicate with via signs. Yet with plenty of food and water, Jason and Ann have the supplies needed for what they hope is a short confinement.

But that’s not the case. Quickly days turn into weeks, and soon months turn into years. Rather than giving up, the family adapts, turning their home into its own micro-ecosystem. As Ann finds a way to grow vegetables inside, Jason rigs several contraptions to catch animals outside. But things take a chilling turn when the family discovers terrifying creatures that only come out when it rains. Suddenly surviving gets a little tougher as they now must avoid drawing the attention of the monsters.

The family dynamic is a good one with Jason relishing his role as family protector. He keeps everyone alive, but as time goes by and reality sets in, his ‘survival is living’ mentality crumbles. On the flip side, despite being gripped by fear early on, Ann later grows better in tune with their circumstances and becomes the reality check Jason needs. Meanwhile the kids watch and absorb it all, losing key years from their childhood which takes a psychological toll.

Again, it’s hard to miss seeing the movie as a COVID allegory. Perhaps it’s a little on the nose, but Leterrier manages to capture the intense feelings of isolation and dread in a number of visceral ways. He also has a lot of fun with the sci-fi and survival components which take center stage in the film’s second half. And he really goes for broke once the final act arrives and the movie goes full creature feature. Some will inevitably push back on the choice. But as a genre fan, I loved the ambition.

To be honest, things do get a little corny in the final twenty minutes as the Delgado family goes full MacGyver. We’re also left with a ton of questions that never get answers. And the ending is a little too tidy considering everything that came before it. Still “The Last House” remains solid entertainment, especially for anyone with the right expectations and a hearty appetite for end-of-days thrillers and old-fashioned monster movies. It had me onboard from the start and kept me involved till the very end.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS