As Movies.com says:
In this era of torture porn and slasher pics, House of the Devil is a shining example of how to build atmosphere and tension the old-fashioned way.
Or as TV Guide's Movie Guide says:
If you don't get a kick out of watching doomed babysitter Samantha put on that portable cassette player and dance around that creepy house to the strains of the Fixx's "One Thing Leads to Another," you might need a course in Horror Appreciation 101.
Who could argue with that? Ti West's flick isn't a thrill a second type of horror movie, but a slow, skin crawling journey.
What's got you scared this evening?
