Quick: When I say "Christian movie" what's the first thing that comes to mind?

Cheesy? Preachy? Low budget? Kirk Cameron?

When I heard that Namesake Entertainment was making a movie based on the best selling novel House by Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker, and that it was being directed by Robby Henson, who adapted Dekker's book Thr3e for the screen, my first thought was, "How cheesy is this going to be?" I saw the film "Thr3e," and trust me, to call it ridiculous would be a compliment.

For the most part, films made by or for Christians usually highlight the low production budget and actors picked for their faith more than their talent (hence the Christian film industry's love affair with casting Kirk Cameron in leads). They focus more on the evangelical message they want to drive home rather than a cohesive story that lets the viewer realize the point on their own.

Well, I'm happy - thrilled, surprised, overjoyed - to tell you that "House" is not like a Christian movie in any way. It's well made, it's intriguing, it's, well, it's good. In fact, forget that it's connected in any way to the Christian entertainment industry or you'll talk yourself out of seeing it.

The film begins with married couple Jack and Stephanie on their way to a clearly much-needed session with a marriage counselor. After straying off the main road, they find themselves lost on a backwoods road in Alabama when they come upon an accident. After getting directions from a very creepy cop, they come to a crossroads where, at high speed and bickering all the way, they decide to veer of their route and head home.

And then it happens. They come upon a disabled car and when Jack tries to avoid a collision, he crashes. In typical spooky movie fashion, there's no cell service, so the two head out on foot to find a house with a phone so they can call for help.

What they find is a super creepy bed and breakfast run by an even creepier couple and their totally freakish adult son. (Did I mention this film is creepy?) Also at the inn is another couple, Randy and Leslie, owners of the abandoned car Jack and Stephanie almost hit. The phone doesn't work, it starts to rain, and the foursome end up staying for the night.

The perfect scary movie set up.

What happens next is a cat and mouse game of survival against an evil house that knows too many secrets and the Tin Man, a stranger intent on murder, who forces the two couples into an ultimate decision between good and evil, life and death.

At the climax, (where "Thr3e" took a totally absurd turn and ruined me for any Christian films), "House" stays right on track, avoiding clichés and religion, instead offering an out-of-left-field psychological twist and finale.

This isn't Christian propaganda. This is good, old fashioned good versus evil, when our worst nightmares become reality and you're waiting until the very end to see who survives and who doesn't. No religion, no church, nothing but a suspenseful psychological roller coaster ride.

Oddly enough, the film received an R-rating, despite the lack of strong language, gore, or explicit sexuality. There is a hint that one of the women was a victim of incest, but they don't even say the word. Really, the film is totally worthy of a PG-13-rating. I saw more gore last week on "CSI" and more sex on "America's Next Top Model." It's spooky and suspenseful, for sure, but what will scare you is more in your mind than what you'll see on the screen.