Rating: Summary: Nice production values, but could have been better! Review: To be honest, I only went to see this movie to see Catherine Zeta Jones, who I think is hot! The site selected as Hill House was imposing and scary, but none of the scenes in this film were ever really terrifying. I was hoping maybe I'd at least see Zeta Jones put the make on Lili Taylor (as her character was supposed to be a lesbian), but as in the original that whole aspect was glossed over. So be it. A fun film rental if you don't expect a lot, but the 60's version is scarier.
Rating: Summary: One terrible movie! Review: My girlfriend and I went to see The Haunting and almost walked out. I jumped once in the whole movie. It was slow, the acting was not very good. Do not waste your time with this one! I would have given this 0 stars but they did not have that option. BORED TO DEATH!
Rating: Summary: The Surprise Comedy Hit of the Season! Review: "The Haunting" offers a textbook example of what happens when too much money is thrown at an ill-conceived project in the hopes that it will bear fruit. To terrify an audience, a good director needs no more than the ability to recognize and manipulate the power of the human imagination; the original "Haunting" or "The Blair Witch Project" come to mind. Jan de Bont, the director of this film, seems to have set out to make an aggressively mediocre movie: nothing, but NOTHING, is left to the imagination here. Every single supposed "fright" in the film is served up naked under a spotlight for us, leaving us with nothing but a collection of bland computer renderings. It was as if the advent of computer technology permitted the filmmakers to reveal all that was so cunningly suggested in the original with no thought as to the consequences. All psychological terror is expunged by the lack of faith in the intelligence of the audience. On the lighter side, the audience with whom I saw "The Haunting" had a grand time -- we recognized this contempt the filmmakers had for us and laughed from beginning to end. I never thought a decapitation by a huge stone lion's head flue could be funny...but films can always surprise you, can't they?
Rating: Summary: REGRETFULLY, THIS MOVIE STINKS! Review: When I went to see this new version at the local theatre, I did so with great anticipation: I was fervently hoping to see a genuinely creepy film, tastefully done. WRONG. It's obvious a LOT of money was spent on special effects - it's a crying shame that someone didn't foresee what could have been done on a quarter of the budget with more attention to the unique Jacksonesque touches from the original story. Of all the characters, only Catherine Zeta-Jones (as Theodora) was passable. The set was a humongous waste, the script embarassingly bad. Eleanor valiantly rescues the souls of children from the wrath of Hugh Crain. Oh, boy! For Eleanor's Grandmother's sake, do yourself a favour and read the original Shirley Jackson novel. You will be surprised (and refreshed) to find very little comparison and realise there was no mention of Ms.Vance's Grandmother at all! I don't know what Jan DeBont was thinking when he made this laughable, totally inept hodgepodge. Any ten-year old child can tell you that true creepiness is in what is unseen, i.e. the imagination. The original story was a psychological tale of loneliness and madness: the "impressive" special effects were totally unneccesary and completely out-of-context. It seems to me that the producers were trying to capitalise on bringing younger audiences in the theatre in order to bring in profits for their own personal gain. The film is completely uninspired, hokey, unintentially laughable and frankly ineptly phoney in many ways. The ushers should have rescued the patrons straight to the box office to get their money back!!! For a glimpse of what author Shirley Jackson had in mind, watch the 1963 version of THE HAUNTING with Julie Harris and Claire Bloom. It's now available on DVD. It's infinitely creepier, more enjoyable, and artistically esteemed - both cinematography-wise and acting-wise.
Rating: Summary: Try something else. Review: I just didn't get anything out of watching this movie. It neither scared or even interested me. The special effects were good, but this movie just didn't work for me. Wasn't captivating or that involving. Liam Neeson is a great actor, but even he can't do much for The Haunting. There are better movies out there.
Rating: Summary: Pretty scary-not so swift ending Review: I think that The Haunting is a good scary movie(as opposed to movies like "Scream"). Instead of dealing with pyscho people running around in masks, it actually deals with the supernatural which is always fascinating. The movie was cast very well and the special effects are incredible. The ending however, twisted the movie into a theme of bliss, contentment, and nurturing. A good scary movie should leave you with a sense of "what will happen next?". On the other hand, it would be hard to have a nightmare about it! All in all, it is a good movie that really screams the theme "good vs evil".
Rating: Summary: THE BEST FILM EVER. Review: The Movie was awsome, I liked the Effects,the Loud sounds and the Location of the Movie which was filmed in the Harlaxton Manor in England. the story was good and the environment of the film was the best. a must see. dont't axpect to see super hero's or people with guns and action or the Matrix, cause its just a haunted house story of supernatural. Kind of like Stephen Kings-(the Shining). the next movie ive gotta see, is (The Haunting on Hill House).
Rating: Summary: Good rental Review: Not a bad movie but not a great one either. From an entertainment stand point it was good. As with most remakes of old horror moives a good script is hard to find. It is an old movie that unfortunately has been copied many times; so that takes away from the story. But as a whole it is a good movie. There are enough creepy scenes that make it a cut above the average fright flick.
Rating: Summary: The only thing "HAUNTING" me is the money I wasted Review: a decent scare or two during the first 45 minutes, but I can that from my own driving.
Rating: Summary: Typical Hollywood pulp Review: Third grade mentality, third-rate dialog. Not for adults. Egads, I actually bought the DVD. Shame on me.
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