'31 Nights of Horror' Day 2: House of Wax (2005)

Hey, ghouls! 31 Nights of Horror is here, serving up daily scares with reviews of classic and new horror films. Watch for chilling lists and other spine-tingling pieces. Keep your lights on… the terror begins now

House of Wax (2005) is a fun, bloody, and delightfully ridiculous horror romp that’s equal parts creepy and over-the-top. The film kicks off with a disturbing flashback involving a woman making a wax face while one of her kids is strapped down like a tiny Hannibal Lecter. Fast forward to present day, where a group of douchey college kids, including Carly (Elisha Cuthbert), her bad-boy brother Nick (Chad Michael Murray), and her bestie Paige (Paris Hilton), are road-tripping to a football game. Naturally, their plans go awry when they stumble upon a creepy, small town—and guess what? It’s full of wax sculptures, and no one is exactly what they seem.

Cue a series of increasingly gruesome (and kinda hilarious) deaths, like when one character tries to peel wax off his friend’s face and ends up ripping his entire face off. "Oh no, bro, your face fell off!" Or when Paige meets her untimely end via a sharpened pipe straight through the head. Classic Friday the 13th vibes right there!

Turns out, the town’s wax figures are actually real people, and the creepy brothers running the place? They were conjoined twins separated at birth, one of whom is now wearing a wax mask. “You’re holding the object that kills you!” It’s all gloriously gory, with Elisha Cuthbert glued shut at the mouth (ouch!) and a melting wax house finale that’s as bonkers as it sounds.

Is the plot ridiculous? Totally. Are the kills gory and fun? Absolutely. With cheesy acting, tons of blood, and a killer soundtrack featuring Deftones and Interpol, House of Wax is perfect for a spooky movie night, complete with popcorn and chills. Grab your friends, embrace the silliness, and enjoy the waxy carnage!