Jackson's Underworld: Into the belly of the beast

Walking into the Underworld, first you mind climb up a few stories to the holding area for the house. Heading into the queue area, music blares over loudspeakers, the line weaves through chainlink fencing, underneath skeletons and spider webs. A loud rumbling can be heard from the front of the line, with a booming voice speaking occasionally. As you reach the front, you realize it is a large man that is speaking through his robotized dismembered head, issuing you last second warning before you descend into the Underworld. Finally, you hear the noise signifying it is your turn to head deep into the darkness.

One thing Jackson's Underworld does exceptionally well is keep you off guard. Every room feels different than the last. Some rooms are dark and claustrophobic, with monsters coming out of the shadows. Some are wide open areas filled with multiple props and animatronics, with multiple actors rushing you from every direction. Walls move, lights fade in and out, elevations change, and so much more occur to keep you off balance. It is easily a major strength of this house.

There are some great set locations in this house too. Shacks out in the swamp. A derelict parking area. A toxic dump with creatures lurking in the corners. Combined with some good use of lighting allows each of these locations to take on a life of their own.

Scares are well designed, and actors perform their duties with glee. Misdirection is used very well, often using large-scale props, or animatronics to keep your eyes focused one way, while the scares come from the other. This house is a great example of how to use animatronics in a way that help, instead of just making them the focus. Some of the actors showed great skills in improvisation, managing to elicit a few laughs in between the scares.

One scene stands out among the rest. A bridge a couple stories about the ground, with coffins and skeletons lining the ground below. The bridge is grated, leaving a wide open view to the ground, which feels very far away. There isn't a single actor on the bridge, and no special effects or audio being used. Yet is is incredibly frightening on a basic level. It is something that most houses would not have the opportunity to do, and it is nice to see the Underworld use it to its full potential.

If there was one thing that could be done better, it would be to kill some of the dead space that exists in the house. There are a couple scenes where props are used, or loud sounds ring out, but there is no scare to go along with them. It is possible we just simply missed them by a few seconds, but it certainly didn't seem like it. There are also one too many long hallways that do a good job to create a creepy atmosphere, but there is no payoff. These are the only marks on what is a really good house.

Jackson's Underworld is a really good, lengthy house that does a great job with scares, and has used its budget well, creating sizable sets. Some pacing problems hold it back from being a classic, but it is easily another great house in the area, and is deserving of your money. It should be noted that there is a 3D house on the premises as well, however we did not do it ourselves.

4.25 / 5