The Haunting

Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: The Haunting has to be one of the best movies. I diagree with the people that gave it one star. This movie may not be very scary, but they picked good acters and actresess. Lili Taylor and Katherine Zeta-Jones did a great job. I have to admit they went a little overboard with the special effects.

Rating:
Summary: Very poor story
Review: The only good thing about this movie are the special effects. The story is poor, and even when it has great artists, they become secondary to the story. It is one of the worst horror movies I have ever seen, and it is basically because of the lack of arguments behind the story.

After choosing it, my girlfriend banned me for six months of choosing the movie to see togheter. (And I think I deserved it)

Rating:
Summary: Completely wasted opportunity
Review: The wretched mangling of this remake of "The Haunting" is not only disappointing, but downright ridiculous. Jan De Bont forsakes even the most minimal character and atmosphere development for overblown (and all-too-obvious) CGI effects, resulting in a lot of unintentional laughter, (especially the ending, which was funnier than most alledged "comedies") but, unfortunately, not enough to make it a really good "bad" movie. As we all know, stories involving the supernatural, and especially "haunted house" stories, depend entirely on the establishment of MOOD and the gradual building of suspense, neither of which is ever present here. This is especially glaring because the interior sets of the house are spectacular (they alone are responsible for the one star in the rating); a wonderfully phantasmagoric mix of all sorts of architectural periods and styles that form a truly creepy and surreal space to be in. In the hands of a more talented director, the use of these sets alone, combined with creative sound design, could have produced a much scarier movie. Watch the original 1963 version to see what I mean. In the end, the most galling thing about the whole mess is the sheer amount of technical talent wasted; a lot of craftspeople clearly put in a lot of effort to create the film's look and style, only to have their work denigrated by a weak script, poor storytelling and inept, sloppy direction. Rent it if you must (just to see the inside of the house), but if you're not concerned with that, buy or rent the original instead, which is still creepy even after all these years.

Rating:
Summary: Don't Believe Everything You Hear
Review: The WORD on this film kept me away from it since its release last summer, a similar fate experienced by the Anthony Hopkins, Cuba Gooding Jr. film, INSTINCT. In both cases, when I couldn't find anything else available at the video store, I ended up enjoying two very entertaining (key word, ENTERTAINING) DVD films. I agree that Liam Neeson 's stature was overkill for his character. But overall, it was a fine ensemble cast. The NON-COMPUTER generated effects were outstanding and deserve credit for the creators. And, if you have just assembled a good home theatre sound system, the Haunting is a must!

To put it into perspective, Star Wars Phantom Menace was last year's truly Bad Movie...not the Haunting.

Rating:
Summary: Good special effects, lame otherwise
Review: The special effects are the only thing that saved this movie. The characters are shallow, the plot is either non-existant or predictable, and the ending is unbelievable. If you're interested in this movie, I would recommend the 1963 version instead. It doesn't rely so heavily on special effects and in turn has great characterization and plot (not to mention a more believable setting). The DVD takes longer than usual to cue up or didn't work at all in both my players. (I tried two different discs, same problem.)

Rating:
Summary: A Lame Ghost Wannabe
Review: Very sad. If you must, rent the ORIGINAL Haunting--a very good flick. This film suffers from the Hollywood mentality: that special effects and big name actors can rescue a weak plot. Was there a single scare in the film? No. Was the ending telegraphed right from the start? Yes. CGI spirits do not make for chills.

Rating:
Summary: THAT PICTURE!
Review: The picture of the old man gives me the creeps, it looks like a werewolf! This is a wicked, wild and funny movie! 4 THUMBS UP! A great action, horror, suspense film that keeps you on the edge of your seat!

Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece
Review: I don't know about the rest of you, but I thought that this movie was scary. You know why? Because it is so different from the bloody horror pictures we see today. It is so intriguingly odd that it sends a chill down your back. The acting, scenery and directing are superb. It has some very strange moments that will make you think twice before going to sleep at night. Let's start with the house. The mere fact that someone would build a house that huge and so scary-looking on purpose is strange. It had hundreds of rooms for children, that ended up dead, and even a carosel to entertain them. It reminds you of a haunted fun house. The acting, directing and ornate scenery were superb. All hail to Lili Taylor for her fantastic performance of Nell, the MAIN character. Jan deBont once again fascinates with his creative, odd and frighteningly entertaining revival of this Shirley Jackson classic novel. The story is somewhat different, odd, and freaky. That fact that it is just so strange is what makes it scary. And the scenery is the icing on the cake. While some may think that the magnificent house was overdone, I found it beautiful, haunting, and a lot of fun to search through. So, for those of you who want a good mystery to watch with your kids, buy THE HAUNTING. It is suitable for childrens eyes because of it's Fun House qualities. But it can freak you out. It haunts you as you watch it, but it really is a fun movie. The noises scare you as the ghosts of the children have a little bit of fun with you. You'll love it!

Rating:
Summary: The Haunting
Review: A MUST SEE TERROR WITH AN UNEXPECTED TWIST. ONE TO BUY TO WATCH AGAIN AND AGAIN.

Rating:
Summary: Thrills, Chills, and awesome special effects.
Review: I recently purchased and watched The Haunting on DVD. It was the type of movie which keeps you in suspense, not in horror.

Shirley Jackson's original Novel THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, is brought to life in this rollercoaster of suspense. I was amazed at how hard The Haunting strived, and suceeded to follow the original novel, one of my favorite books. The storyline, which is already difficult to bring to the screen, was done so, with the upmost elegance.

The Hauntings special effects were very well done, and thankfully not overblown. The director chose to drive the story based on characters, not based on effects, and that is what always makes a movie.