Charlotte Vega in The Lodgers (Epic Pictures Releasing)

British gothic horror needs little introduction. From Mary Shelley to Daphne du Maurier, the literary works of such authors have been adapted to cinema by the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and Jack Clayton. Offering nothing new in the way of representation, The Lodgers works tightly within the boundaries of the genre, though set in 1920’s rural Ireland. It follows two orphans in their late teens, Rachel (Charlotte Vega) and Edward (Bill Milner), in their inherited, decrepit mansion. Adding to the mold in the house, there is an uncanny metaphysical presence that literally pours out from a cellar door at night.

Lingering in the darkness all day, Edward never seen leaves the vacuous property, unlike Rachel. Venturing out daily into the local village, through the murky woods in a black cloak, she is evidently an outcast in the community, based on the villagers’ hesitant and cold reception.

On her daily visits to the local grocer, she spots Sean (Eugene Simon), who has just returned from the Western Front. As he follows her home, which is not creepy at all, Rachel finds his attentions a welcomed departure from her ghoulish brother. Becoming emotionally attached in their shared experiences of pain—World War I for Sean and ghosts that haunt Rachel—they bond. Though a pivotal thread, the relationship holds little nuance or an emotional pull since the script elicits no pathos for either character.

Unlike other works of British horror, such as The Hollows, there is a lack of noteworthy design for the film’s creatures. The results feel unimaginative. Instead, the film routinely runs through clichéd scares, accompanied by a score that is macabre in its attempt to inject fear. The only notable gothic element in this tale is the reverse droplets of water that predate the metaphysical presence’s arrival. Too, no ambience is stirred within the walls of the house apart from a set of horror lackluster tropes, from creaky doors, coincidentally locked doors, and crumbling furniture.

Recalling his role as Young Magneto in X-Men: First Class, Bill Milner channels the angry and malice of that character into Edward. Appropriate for the atmosphere, it is serviceable performance but a carbon copy of his previous roles. Vega, as Rachel, is similarly functional to the narrative yet lacks any spark of personality. This in part is due to the strained screenplay that places her, along with her brother, in a pin hole. Vega does her best within a limited archetype.

You could be mistaken to think that maybe one is being too harsh on The Lodgers, but based on what the film offers, it’s a monotonous affair that has little in ways of imagination, or scares.