History Film / HouseOfTheDead

* DropTheHammer: One of the zombies carry a mallet.

* TheReveal: [[spoiler:In the ending, [[WhamLine dialogue reveals]] that Rudy's last name is Curien, the same as [[CanonCharacterAllAlong the main villain of the first and the third game]], making this film a [[StealthSequel Stealth Prequel]]]].

* ShoutOut: The scene with Matt and Johanna on the beach is a reference to ''Film/{{Jaws}}'', but the twist is that it's passed out guy who dies first.

** To Creator/GeorgeARomero's ''Film/LivingDeadSeries''. When discussing what kind of creatures the characters were facing one makes a reference to ''[[Film/NightOfTheLivingDead Night]]'', ''[[Film/DawnOfTheDead1978 Dawn]]'', and ''[[Film/DayOfTheDead Day]]''. Another replies that Twighlight of the Dead may be next.[[note]]It was a common fan-made title back then when talking about another upcoming Romero zombie movie. It ultimately became ''Film/LandOfTheDead'' in 2006.[[/note]]

* BareYourMidriff: Alicia. It becomes more pronounced once she loses her jacket.

* AnAxeToGrind: Rudy's melee weapon of choice. Some zombies also carry axes.

It follows a group of people going to a daylight rave held in [[IDontLikeTheSoundOfThatPlace ominiously named]] Isla Del Muerte[[labelnote:*]]nevermind that the correct grammar would be "Isla ''de la'' Muerte"[[/labelnote]] ([[GratuitousSpanish Spanish]] for "Island of the Dead", no relation to [[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl that one]], or [[VideoGame/DeadIsland that other one]]), who are then attacked by hordes of zombies. Gun smugglers, cops, and a [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld hundreds-of-years-old]] undead MadScientist ex-priest are also involved.

* ActorAllusion: Given when the protagonists meet Captain Victor Kirk (Creator/JurgenProchnow):
-->'''Simon''': Oh great, here comes the [[Film/DasBoot u-boat captain]].

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/501731_4681.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:Shooting their heads is the key to everything.]]

* MoralDissonance: When Liberty is caught by zombies, Rudy and everyone else just stare at them from a short distance and don't move a muscle to help her.
** Somewhat justifiable, as by that time, even more zombies were storming the area and they had just run out of ammunition.

* StockFootageFailure: When the film switches to the footage of the first three video games, every display elements from the game exist in the film from the HUD to the hit marker, showing a poorer effort to try to hide these elements. Not to mention, it was recorded using a camcorder instead of a direct capture and it also does not blend in with the setting of the film.

* StockFootageFailure: When the film switches to the footage of the first three ''HoTD'' video games, every artifact from the game exist from the HUD to the hit marker, showing a poor attempt to try to hide it. Not to mention, it was recorded using a camcorder instead of a direct capture and it also does not blend in with the setting of the film.

* OffTheShelfFX: Transitions and some action scenes use footage from the original game, that is to say the one released in ''1996''.

A "Captain Kirk" joke early on, an explicit reference to Creator/GeorgeARomero, and footage from the first two games indicate that the film may actually be a subtle and deliberate SelfParody. Later a "Funny Version" of the film was released, which is a {{Recut}} consisting of [[HilariousOuttakes goofy outtakes]] and sarcastic pop-up commentary.

A "Captain Kirk" joke early on and an explicit reference to Creator/GeorgeARomero indicate that the film may actually be a subtle and deliberate SelfParody. Later a "Funny Version" of the film was released, which is a {{Recut}} consisting of [[HilariousOuttakes goofy outtakes]] and sarcastic pop-up commentary.

* CanonForeigner: All characters, [[spoiler:except Rudy, who is [[CanonCharacterAllAlong revealed to be Curien]], the instigator of the original game's events, of which this movie is a prequel to]].

* YourCheatingHeart: Before they get killed, Johanna attempts to cheat on her boyfriend with Matt.

* BlackBestFriend: Karma to Alicia.

* OneHitPolyKill: Karma blasts through three zombies with one shotgun blast during the big fight to reach the house that's right next to the cemetery.

* TheReveal: [[spoiler:In the ending, [[WhamLine dialogue reveals]] Rudy's last name is Curien, the same as [[CanonCharacterAllAlong the main villain of the first and the third game]], making this film a [[StealthSequel Stealth Prequel]]]].
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: How Greg manages to pay off Kirk.

* VomitIndiscretionShot: Greg throwing up on Cynthia on the boat.

''House of the Dead'' is a film adaptation of a popular light-gun game [[VideoGame/HouseOfTheDead of the same name]] directed by the infamous Uwe Boll in 2003. It flung his name into [[VideoGameMoviesSuck video game movie]] [[EstablishingCharacterMoment infamy]].

It follows a group of people going to a daylight rave held in [[IDontLikeTheSoundOfThatPlace ominiously named]] Isla Del Muerte ([[GratuitousSpanish Spanish]] for "Island of the Dead", no relation to [[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl that one]], or [[VideoGame/DeadIsland that other one]]), who are then attacked by hordes of zombies. Gun smugglers, cops, and a [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld hundreds-of-years-old]] undead MadScientist ex-priest are also involved.

* LoweredMonsterDifficulty: The zombies suddenly become very easy to kill when the remaining protagonists are nearing Castillo's secret lair.

* MixAndMatchMan: Castillo, who keeps himself alive by harvested bodyparts.

* TheCameo: Then Sega of America president Peter Moore and [[CreatorCameo series creator Rikiya Nagakawa]] appear as zombies.