The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Peter Cornwell

Writers (WGA):

Adam Simon (written by) &
Tim Metcalfe (written by)

Release Date:

27 March 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Some things cannot be explained.

Plot:

After a family is forced to relocate for their son's health, they begin experiencing supernatural behavior in their new home, which turns out to be a former mortuary.

Plot Keywords:

Mortuary | Funeral Parlor | Haunting | Cancer | Bird

US Showtimes:

(register to personalize)

Cast

Virginia Madsen	...	Sara Campbell
Kyle Gallner	...	Matt Campbell
Elias Koteas	...	Reverend Popescu
Amanda Crew	...	Wendy
Martin Donovan	...	Peter Campbell
Sophi Knight	...	Mary
Ty Wood	...	Billy Campbell
Erik J. Berg	...	Jonah (as Erik Berg)
John Bluethner	...	Ramsey Aickman
D.W. Brown	...	Dr. Brooks
John B. Lowe	...	Mr. Sinclair
Adriana O'Neil	...	Chemo Nurse
Will Woytowich	...	Cop
James Durham	...	Matt's Cell Mate
Darren Ross	...	Paramedic #1

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of terror and disturbing images.

Runtime:

92 min | 102 min (extended cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #44104) | UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Finland:K-15 | Brazil:14 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Netherlands:16 | Sweden:15 | Mexico:B15 | Hong Kong:IIB | South Korea:15 | Singapore:PG | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Teulon, Manitoba, Canada

Company:

Gold Circle Films

Trivia:

The character of Reverend Popescu was supposedly based on John Zaffis, an investigator who worked on the case.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When they finally open the doors to the "torture chamber", there are big windows in the room, meaning that they could have just gone into the side yard and looked through the windows to the room.

Quotes:

Wendy: But what about you?
Matt Campbell: I'm already dead.

Movie Connections:

References The Birds (1963)

Soundtrack:

Ward 13

Tries so hard, but ultimately a mixed bag

People love a good ghost story, I know I do. Especially when it's said to be based on actual events. I think that makes it scarier, brings it closer to home. There have been a number of films like this that have partially or sometimes even completely succeeded. The 1979 version of 'The Amityville Horror' is no masterpiece, but is not lacking in good chills and real characters to root for and identify with. Same goes with the 1991 TV movie 'The Haunted.' Even 'Poltergeist,' which isn't based on a true case, is very real in it's characters and situations.

Lately though, movies about ghosts and haunted dwellings have been mediocre at best. Using a lot of the exact same ways to scare the audience that have gotten beyond tiresome. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with a good jump scare here and there, but when you start to rely on them you lose credibility and the audience will likely lose interest. This latest addition isn't much different, but it does try to rise above that. It's an admirable attempt and not a total waste of ones time, but it just doesn't go quite far enough.

Pros: A fine cast that gives it's all. A good horror score that gives the fright scenes the extra oomph they need. Nice, crisp cinematography. Excellent work on the make-up and visual effects. Some really scary images. Though not as good as the films I mentioned above, this one is still pretty grounded in reality. The pace is slow, but steady and never drags. The house is eerie and a perfect location for a haunted house.

Cons: Clichés galore. Most of the scares are far too tame to have any big affect. Some of the dialogue, especially for Elias Koteas, is poor and makes the actors look bad. No real surprises. Too many underdeveloped characters.

Final thoughts: Worth a rental, but not the big bucks you pay at the local cinema. There are far better ghost/haunted house movies out there than this, but you could still do worse. If you really want to see it that badly, just wait for DVD.

My rating: 3/5