They thought childhood ended. But some haunts never leave home
Treehouse (2015), directed by Michael Bartlett, is a tense psychological horror that takes a classic childhood haunt and twists it into an unsettling adult nightmare. Set in suburban America, the film follows a group of five friends who reunite at their old Halloween-time treehouse—only to discover that the fears they left behind have returned, darker and more dangerous than ever.
The story begins innocently enough: laughter, old stories, and nostalgic reconnection. But as the night deepens, each person starts experiencing disturbing events—scratches on bodies, strange figures in the woods, whispered voices through the trees. Bonds crack under paranoia, and the group quickly turns inward, suspecting each other as violence and fear escalate.
The strength of Treehouse lies in its growing claustrophobia. Bartlett films the dense darkness and looming branches with a tight, almost suffocating camera style. The treehouse itself becomes a trap: not an escape from childhood trauma, but a physical and emotional prison where old guilt, buried secrets, and primal terror converge.
Performances are raw and grounded. Each actor channels a believable mix of nostalgia, fear, shame, and desperation. As alliances unravel, you feel the terror not just of the unknown… but of human betrayal. It’s a horror rooted not in ghosts or monsters, but in the deep, twisted corners of the mind.
By night’s end, the film forces a choice: confront your past, or let it consume you. Treehouse doesn’t rely on gore or jump scares—it creeps into your psyche, and stays there, long after the credits roll.
