Post by George Willson on Oct 26, 2005 17:40:52 GMT -5
KIM rating: 2.5.3
Haunted house movies are notorious for wanting to be creepy but rarely succeeding to any degree (Poltergeist and Amityville Horror being notable exceptions). Disney's contribution to this genre works very well, because they take away the character of the house and make it silly showing as I've always suspected that haunted house movies tend to be silly rather than scary. I was grateful for the silly departure from the norm, and they played with it well.
While the characters are well rounded, their weaknesses were rather cliche. Workaholic dad. Attitude laden teen daughter. Family values going down the tube. Of course, their individual problems are all worke dout in the end, but in the meantime, we get a decent little storyline of intrigue as we tour the haunted mansion. This isn't life changing cinema; this is the movie you go to the cinema for to forget life.
Haunted house movies are notorious for wanting to be creepy but rarely succeeding to any degree (Poltergeist and Amityville Horror being notable exceptions). Disney's contribution to this genre works very well, because they take away the character of the house and make it silly showing as I've always suspected that haunted house movies tend to be silly rather than scary. I was grateful for the silly departure from the norm, and they played with it well.
While the characters are well rounded, their weaknesses were rather cliche. Workaholic dad. Attitude laden teen daughter. Family values going down the tube. Of course, their individual problems are all worke dout in the end, but in the meantime, we get a decent little storyline of intrigue as we tour the haunted mansion. This isn't life changing cinema; this is the movie you go to the cinema for to forget life.