GamerTab
That was an excellent one.
Grimerlana
Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike
AutCuddly
Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,
Artur Machado
With action taking place during the latter half of 1920's in rural England, Professor David Ash, famous for discrediting supernatural phenomena, is invited to the Edbrook Mansion to try to calm down the governess who assures that the house is haunted. During his stay he observes the strange behavior of the three orphan brothers (a woman and two men in their twenties or close to thirty) as he himself begins to experience unexplained phenomena. The film starts well with some intrigue and good performances, but the plot unfolding is a disappointment with a silly ending. Several questions arise as to the credibility of the story when so many inconsistencies are hard to ignore and by the time the movie ends, there is only left a sense of disappointment.
NateWatchesCoolMovies
Haunted is an atmospheric, valiant yet frustratingly uneven ghost story effort, in the tradition of stuff like The Awakening and The Haunting. If the plot seems close to last year's Crimson Peak, it's because it is, and I'd bet that Del Toro had this forgotten entry in mind when he embarked on that journey. I say frustrating because there's a certain few absolutely terrific moments of Gothic horror that truly shiver your timbers, but they're hopelessly mired in a mucky moor of a plot that unfortunately is not as effective as those key scenes. You David Ash is rough housing around wit his sister in the English countryside when she hits her head on a rock, and drowns in the pond below. He grows up soaked in guilt, dedicated to disproving the existence of paranormal phenomena. As an adult he's played by Aiden Quinn, who is an average dude with slightly wild looking eyes who is always effective in the sense that he seeks out challenging, odd projects which test his everyday aura nicely. In the early 1900's he is summoned back to rural Britain by an elderly woman (Anna Massey) who is convinced that she is surrounded by ghosts. He is greeted there by the luminous, attractive Christina (Kate Beckinsale), a friendly young thing with a distinct untrustworthy vibe and a penchant for getting creepy close with her two strange brothers (Anthony Andrews and Alex Lowe). She lives out there in isolation with them as well as their disturbed mother, and one gets the sense right off the bat that something is wonky. I suppose that's the point though isn't it? Beckinsale has carved a path of playing either somber, distraught women or tough, silent warrior chicks. This is the most animated work I've ever seen from her, and the most radiant she's ever looked as well. It's also to date the only nude scenes she's ever put forth, and I don't use the term lightly... she really bares it all here. The middle portion of the film meanders around with these characters, not revealing enough to push the plot forward enough, until the curtain is whisked away jarringly in the third act, cementing it's pacing issues for good. It's a picturesque enough journey, I just wish we had something to latch onto besides that, some substance and a consistency in the creepiness factor to keep us invested. Alas. It's got a spookily wonderful beginning, and an electric, full blooded ending, the only two instances where it shows true feeling and commitment. The rest is, well... stale. It's worth a peek for a few reasons though, including Beckinsale's solid performance and that one uber-scary scene in the opener.
Neil Welch
After his young sister dies in an accident around the turn of the 19th to 20th century, David blames himself and, on growing up, becomes a debunker of hauntings. He is engaged to investigate a haunting, and it turns out that the people who live there are an odd bunch and, just maybe, the haunting is genuine.This film has an impeccable pedigree - a hugely respectable cast, and a story by established horror author James Herbert. And, as far as performance and story are concerned, I don't have much by way of criticism.But maybe paying for a high profile cast meant that there wasn't much left in the budget for little thinks like special effect and decent film stock. Because the broadcast I watched was very grainy, and the effects were distinctly dodgy.A shame.
Siren555
Haunted is a film well worth watching, in spite of its flawed ending. Aidan Quinn -- never particularly impressive as an actor -- is convincing in his role as a skeptical doctor who investigates mediums and supposed hauntings. All the other actors do an outstanding job; they are really a joy to watch. And Beckinsale is at her alluring best.In its atmosphere (so important for a suspense movie) "Haunted" achieves a very good balance of whimsy and dread. The sets are excellent, the pacing good, the story very compelling. Where the movie fails is in its abrupt, unsatisfying conclusion. And it must also be said that, while the title "Haunted," does work on a couple of different levels, it is still a lame title for a ghost movie.
