Rating: 
Summary: A "Haunted" Mansion? For kids, yes...for adults...well...
Review: If you're a kid aged 4 to 8, there's a lot to grab you and leave you on the edge of your seat. However, if you're an adult, you most likely will not find a whole lot to entice you here. "A Haunted Mansion" comes across as a plodding grade-"C" horror movie at best, as evidenced by the elementary degree of a sufferable plot, and an adequate dose of special effects. But, these "qualities" aren't the worst things about this movie. It's the 'supposedly funny' "comedy", combined with the poorly conceived "fright train" that brings the proceedings to a screeching halt. Giving its "star" Eddie Murphy very little room to work with, doesn't help matters, either, as Murphy appeared stiff and uncomfortable throughout the movie. The only actors who delivered close to star-quality performances, are Terence Stamp and Nathaniel Parker, as demented ghosts. As per their acting here, one can clearly see their Shakespearian-type training has paid big dividends, as both Stamp and Parker are the real stars of this picture. In contrast, Eddie Murphy's talents as both a dramatic and comedic actor are clearly wasted here, as per the above description. Mr. Murphy needs to desperately reprise his roles as an Axel Foley and Reggie Hammond-type character, and therefore needs to make another "Beverly Hills Cop" and "48 Hrs." tour de force - otherwise, Mr. Murphy will find himself slipping into a debilitating coma - one that he'll never, ever recover from if he continues to base his career on doing children's-only films. Moreover, what would really help revive Murphy's fastly diminishing career, is if he goes back to doing stand-up comedy, to which, even if he cleaned up his routine, he would resurrect his career in that department as the TRUE "Golden Child" once again. For the adults, the only recommendation for a viewing of "The Haunted Mansion", would be to see it BEFORE doing your Christmas shopping, as well as to amuse the kids. That way, you won't have to worry about a cure for the doldrums, or insomnia, for that matter. CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: 4 STARS; ADULT ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: 1 1/2 STARS. OVERALL RATING: An "adequate" 3 STARS.
Rating:
Summary: A Decent good time
Review: The Haunted Mansion is Disney's 4th movie based on a ride if you count the made for tv Tower of Terror. It's often fun, funny and even romantic. It's far from being one of the best movies I've seen though. There's scenes where the movie can actually be funnier. I mean Eddie Murphy is a funny guy and a talented comedien but his lines just get a giggle. The movie has a lot of good chances for humor but it doesn't take them. For instance Murphy and the talented Terrence Stamp (The Limey) as the butler could've had much funnier scenes together. Instead through most the movie, it just has Stamp walking around and creeping up on people. He looks good in the role and is well in character but the script fails to do anything really funny with him. He's pale with his hair sticking up in the air and he walks around like a zombie and the only way Murphy pokes fun at him is by saying he needs a tan....haha. I mean they could've thought of something more clever than that. The movie could've been laugh out loud funny especially with Murphy in the lead....but it's not. Don't get me wrong there's some laughs but I don't think there's enough, well not enough from Murphy anyway. The singing statues from the ride are funny, they work best in the movie. I also liked Jennifer Tilly as a gypsy spirit trapped in a crystal ball, that's what I think she's meant to be anyway. People make fun of that saying, that's stupid, is a talking head in crystal ball. I think it's meant to be that her spirit is trapped in there some how though. Anyway the ideas that the movie took from the ride itself are actually what work best. I'm basically just giving it a mild recommendation for just rental not to buy. Eventhough Pirates of the Carribean was a great movie based on a ride, Disney needs to be more original though. You can tell they are slumpted on what to do next if they stoop as low as making movies based on rides. So what's next Space Mountain with Colin Ferrell ? lol.
Rating: 
Summary: Disney's Imgaineers at their very best!
Review: From the beginnig credits to the very end this was defiantely one of the best movies to come along in the last twenty years. The special effects were awesome! This movie was way better than I expected it to be. If you have been to through the "Haunted Mansion" rides at any of the Magic Kingdoms, then you should see this movie! The scenery is so accarrate (from the movie) in the movie, that you actually feel as if you are standing in the Mansion with Eddie Murphie and his family! We couldn't believe it! Go Disney Imgaineers! Those of you like me who have been to both will realize that this movie is made up of a combination of both rides in the states. This is a wonderful family movie with those who have kids about nine and up. Much like the ride, this movie is very intense and was scary to kids under 9 in theater. ( So much so that one family ended up leaving.) Eddie Murphie and his wife are real estate agents who are looking to sell this myesterious "Old Mansion". The family ends up learning a lot about family and love. This is destined to be a family classic! Why didn't Disney make this movie sooner?
Rating:
Summary: Loved It!
Review: I absolutely loved this movie and I can't see why you people are ripping on it so much. True the wrting wasn't as it could have been but I still absolutely loved the movie. I actually went and saw it three times while it was in the theatres with my friends. I also don't think this movie was meant to be scary at all maybe for little kids but not for adults I still liked and thought it was good. So I do very much recommend this movie to anyone who likes a little scary and a little comedy movie. Good plot and good movie for the kids to see also.
Rating: 
Summary: NO FUN, NO SCARE, NOTHING
Review: "The Haunted Mansion" stars Eddie Murphy who lost any cool attitude he had in the 80s, and looks as if trying to corner family picture genre since his "Dr. Dolittle" films. I don't care what ever he does as long as it is funny, scary, or whatever. The fact is, this "Mansion" is not remotely funny, scary ... whatever it is. Well, whatever it is, I am sure this is one of the worst pictures ever made with Disney logo, which this film certainly doesn't deserve to wear. The cliche-ridden story need no summery. Eddie Murphy's character is dealing with real estates, and neglects his family too busy doing his business. Well, of course he relents soon, but when he takes out his family (one boy, one girl, one beautiful wife, as usual) to the holiday ride, he still drops in a big old house where a creepy butler (Terence Stamp, coming directly from Hammer horrors) introduces his master Nathaniel Parker, who must hide some secret behind the handsome face. These incredibly uninspired story could be still tolerable if there are enough humor or scare in it. Sorry, but the film's scare means a big loud banging noise (the most artless way any kids can think of), and its humor means Eddie Murphy's incessant chatting and mugging which remind me of Martin Lawrence. And it might be cruel to add this, but the acting of kids are not good. Campy fun could have saved the film from the entire mess, but Jennifer Tilly (who could be fun if given a right material) is literally confined in a small territory, reciting some silly rhymnes. The lush production designs are fun to see, so is Terence Stamp who surely understands his role, but the rest of the main characters, doing everything in a too straight manner, have ruined anything that might have come from the better part of the film. As many reviewers rightly said, if you want to see a film based on Disney attraction, see "Pirates of the Carribian." It is fun to watch Johhny Depp, who knows how to take risks, doing different things with talant and experience.
Rating: 
Summary: I Cannot Believe The Bad Reviews On Here
Review: Come on, people! What, is Eddie Murphy suddenly cinematic poison to you all? Is he not still the funny, charming comedic actor that *all* of you have laughed to in the past?? Is it suddenly uncool to like him...or to like a film based on a Disney ride??? (Can you say PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN, perhaps??) Am I missing something, because I just don't get your reactions on here at all! Listen, it's true that Eddie Murphy has made some duds recently in his career, such as THE ADVENTURES OF PLUTO NASH and I SPY (both 2002)---unseen by me as of this writing, by the way---but he's also still making hits (and great films), too: witness SHREK (2001) and the still brand-new SHREK 2, and it is really questionable as to whether Mr. Murphy's star has really gone out. I mean, he also made BEST DEFENSE in 1983, and then went on to the mega-hit BEVERLY HILLS COP the very next year. Besides, some of our greatest and most respected actors such as Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino have starred in bad movies---THE FAN (1996), ISHTAR (1987) and CRUISING (1981), respectively, so it's pretty unfair to act as if Murphy's the only one who's made some crappy choices. And it really doesn't matter what other films Eddie has done, anyway. We are discussing THE HAUNTED MANSION (2003) on these pages, so let's just take the film by itself as it is. This is an extremely well-made film that is a feast for the senses. Everything---Art Direction, Set Design, Costumes, Makeup, Visual Effects, Sound Effects Editing included---was made painstakingly with great attention to detail. I'm baffled by one obviously ill-informed reviewer who commented on 'the cheap CGI effects'---what??? Just by watching the movie, I could tell that *nothing* about it was made on the cheap. And if that hadn't convinced me by itself, then the two documentaries ("The Making Of The Mansion" and "Anatomy Of A Scene - Ghost In The Graveyard") would have done the trick. As it is, these docs really made me appreciate even more all the great work that makeup artist extraordinaire Rick Baker (truly a legend in his craft), costumer Mona May and all the rest did. And if that weren't enough, the DVD gives us a superb interactive tour of the Gracie Mansion! I have just seen the DVD after getting it from Netflix. After watching it, I know that I want to buy it! Eddie Murphy and British actress Marsha Thomason star as Jim & Sara Evers, of Evers & Evers Real Estate. In the opening scene, Jim is showing a couple a house (no, not the haunted one) of which they're not quite sure they want to buy. We're treated to another fine example of Murphy's comedic timing in this scene, where his wife calls about spending their anniversary night together and he's making it seem to the prospective couple as if he's speaking with another interested couple. In true pop psychology form, the couple in the room immediately make their move to purchase the house. Of course, this setup is just to establish the characters of Jim & Sara, and soon they're off to the Gracie Mansion (no, not the NYC Mayor's house) to which they've been invited (well actually, just Sara) by a spooky-sounding man who presents himself as the representative of the interested seller. Of course, the spooky man turns out to be the butler Ramsey (played to great spooky effect by the wonderful Terence Stamp). They also meet Master Gracie (Nathaniel Parker) whom, we learn, fell in love with a black girl named Elizabeth in the 19th century who committed sucicide (or so he thought) when they realized they could never marry due to the obvious societal pressures of their day. It's an effective back story that speaks to the issues of race, intolerance and true love. But the real treat is the house and its ghostly inhabitants. Sure, this isn't a *great* film; however, there really wasn't anything I didn't like. Everybody was well-cast. I liked the Evers' children, Megan and Michael, played respectively by Aree Davis (if she looks familiar to you, that's because she's the sister of Dee Dee Davis, who stars on "The Bernie Mac Show" and Marc John Jefferies (yep, the People PC spokesman!). Both are smart and engaging. I also liked Wallace Shawn and Dina Waters as the helpful ghostly couple Ezra & Emma. Jennifer Tilly is great as Madame Leota, a ghostly disembodied head in a crystal ball! All in all, THE HAUNTED MANSION is a great way to take your mind off things and just have fun for 88 minutes. That's all it aims to be, and it delivers well. RECOMMENDED; AGES 6 & UP
Rating: 
Summary: No Domm Buggie Ride in this one.
Review: Everyone likes the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. But will they like this film based upon the classic amusement ride?
The first flaw is Eddie Murphy was cast in the lead role. Don Knotts was once chosen for a part, but negotiations did not work out. I kept thinking of other actors that would fit the bill better, Robin Williams, Paul Rodriguez or even Tom Hanks and Shelly Long.
But black people do get hypertension, so maybe the film works. Black people do not like to be portrayed as stupid, though. I was dissapointed in this film. I did not care for the casting of Eddie Murphy or the cast of "a black family".
Bonus features include a 12-minute featurette "The Haunted Mansion--Secrets Revealed". An 11-minute featurette, "Anatomy of a Scene: Ghosts in the Graveyard". There is one deleted scene and 63 outtakes, "Superstition" music video by Raven, audio commentaries and Enhanced Computer features for your PC.
The best feature of this entire DVD is "Disney's DVD Virtual Ride: The Haunted Mansion". There are three trails through the Haunted Mansion. The first trail takes you upstairs in the Hallway. There are two different variations. The second trail is a spooky one to the Ballroom. It plays straight through. The third one is to the library. if you choose not to click on the small statue bust, then your trip will end soon and differently. If you choose to click on the bust, you will find the "secret room". if you complete the trails, the two ghosts will see you again with the carriage behind them. This will lead you to the cemetary. There you have two more trails.
Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your time on this movie
Review: This movie was not exciting. I expected it to be very scary. It turned out that the plot was completely predictable with NO SURPRISES! Recently my mom rented an old movie called "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken," and it was was much more exciting, scary and blood curdling. Watch it instead. I was even more scared the second time, when I already knew what was going to happen.
Rating:
Summary: Tame, but fun
Review: Haunted Mansion was pretty much what we expected. It wasn't too scary, and was a little corny. What with all the serious things going on in the world, it was a nice change of pace to see a "light" movie. Both my teenagers enjoyed it!
Rating:
Summary: Park Rides equal cheap movies....
Review: I don't care what the box office says otherwise, doing movies basde on Disney theme park rides has to be the biggest con game Michael Eisner has pulled since he started taking Disney down the cheap path years ago. Where as Pirates had both bad casting, no script, and cheap CGI effects, Haunted Mansion has Eddie Murphy in yet another unfunny role. The man's efforts at humor fail on all fronts in this movie, it will make you both leave the theater (when this was in theaters) and make you want to avoid this and all other Disney DVDs all together.
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