Carl Roberts 
Disney invites us to spend some time inside the Haunted Mansion. But is it a wonderfully ghostly experience or should it be exorcised?
Haunted Mansion is Disney’s second big-screen attempt at getting their famous theme park ride into cinemas. The original film was released back in 2003 and featured Eddie Murphy in the lead. The film performed well but was universally panned by the critics. Plans to reboot the franchise hark back to 2010 when director Guillermo del Toro planned to write and produce the new version. Plans fell by the wayside, leaving Justin Simien from a screenplay by Katie Dippold to take over. Between them, they have delivered this new version. But have they given us a wonderfully ghostly experience or should the film have been exorcised before production?
PREMISE
A woman and her son enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters. To help exorcise their mansion and destroy the ghosts around them.
THOUGHTS
Sadly, it is a bit of both to be totally honest. Although the film is a huge improvement over the 2003 version, it still lacks that vital spark. The first half of the film, for example, takes an age to get going. Setting the tone is one thing, but dragging it out for almost forty-five minutes starts to become a chore. The middle is where the film starts to get going, introducing plenty of scares and ghosts that may be a bit too much for younger viewers. While the finale is exactly how you expect it to be. There are a few surprises along the way but they are few and far between.
That’s not to say the film is bad. It isn’t. The visuals are impressive, the attention to detail is exemplary, and the live-action versions of what we experience on the ride are beyond reproach. At times, we find ourselves swept along with the events we see on screen. But despite some spirited performances from the main protagonists, we find ourselves feeling empty by the time the end credits roll. The film can’t quite manifest itself into our consciousness as a must-watch again experience. It will be a good movie to watch over Halloween, but there are other Disney films out there that do the job better.
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THE CAST
The cast all give their all in the movie. But somehow, it’s not enough to completely save it. LaKeith Stanfield as Ben is a delight from start to finish. As someone suffering from a loss, and unable to come to terms with his grief, he touches our hearts at times with his soulful performance in places. For the main part though, he is adept with his comedic timing. One minute we are feeling sorry for him, the next he is all goofy, bringing out humour that the film doesn’t quite deserve. Rosario Dawson as Gabbie also provides some brilliant acting. A mother with a young son who moves into the aforementioned mansion with a view to turning it into a bed and breakfast place. Rosario Dawson gives a typically superb performance and shows she too has great comedic timing.
Owen Wilson as Father Kent, a priest gives an at times hilarious performance. His wisecracks, infectious smile, facial mannerisms, and a brilliantly funny scene near the climax make sure that he is one character that sticks in our minds once the film is over. Chase W. Dillon as Travis, Gabbie’s son is a talent to watch in the future. He plays the typical youngster, missing his father, scared out of his wits at times but pulls off a great performance. His chemistry with LaKeith Stanfield is wonderful. One scene sees the pair playing together with action figures, giving the scene a tender, heartfelt sense. Of course, he comes into his own near the end but this doesn’t distract us from what a young talent he really is.
DANNY DEVITO AND JAMIE LEE CURTIS
In a smaller capacity than we would have liked, Danny DeVito provides his usual infectious self. I don’t need to praise his comic timing or performance, he does that with ease. DeVito is one of those actors that brings joy and fun to any film he appears in, and he does that again here. his role as Bruce Davis, a college historian and professor at Tulane University, fits him down to the ground. He gets a good amount of the laughs the film contains and that is quite fitting. He plays a major part towards the climax and that is a good thing. However, his limited screen time does jar a bit, at times making us want him to have had a bigger role.
Where Jamie Lee Curtis is concerned, it is little more than an extended cameo. And here lies a problem. When she appears in the flesh, she brightens the film considerably. However, the scenes when she is just a floating head inside a crystal ball are some of the worst CGI seen in movies. From the second we lay eyes on her as Madame Leota, we see that it isn’t the actress. It is a poorly rendered effect that drags us out of the movie. It is her voice but that’s it. Thankfully, when the actress finally appears as Leota in the flesh, it manages to banish slightly the disappointment we experience earlier.
JARED LETO
Jared Leto has the task of voicing the film’s big bad, Alistair Crump, the Hatbox Ghost. Although we don’t see the actor in the flesh, apart from a great-looking painting and some drawings, his vocal performance is spot-on. He manages to give the character of Crump a sinister voice, all menace and scariness, that is perfect for the film. This is a villainous ghost that does manage to scare us. It also may be a little too much for younger viewers. While we adults know it’s just a performance, it has the potential to give children nightmares. While some may know it’s all an act, some may mistake it for reality. These scared youngsters will need to be reassured that it isn’t real and to be comforted afterwards.
TIFFANY HADDISH
The film gets a massive boost from Tiffany Haddish. Her role as Harriet, a psychic is the highlight of the film. Her performance is superbly hilarious. Some of her dialogue would be throwaways in someone else’s hands. Here, she embraces it and delivers it in the only way she can. And it works. Her comedic acting, delivery of her dialogue, and sheer willingness to throw herself into the role works wonders. The film is much better when she appears on screen, and leads us to laugh out loud at times. Her revelation as to her relationship with her sisters will go down in history as comedic gold. And the scene where Harriet holds a seance is comedy brilliance. However, we end up feeling that her performance is wasted on a film that doesn’t deserve her talents.
THE VISUAL EFFECTS
Apart from the woeful attempt at CGI’ing Jamie Lee Curtis’ head into a crystal ball, the majority of the visual effects are extremely good. The climatic scene itself will give fans of the ride a thrill, as will some of the scenes that feature throughout the proceedings. The rise’s highlights are all here, and they look wonderful. The recreation of the descending elevator and the ballroom dance scene are some welcome additions. Those thrills we get while on the ride are faithfully recreated. And make for a wonderful spectacle.
THE DIRECTION AND WRITING
The direction by Justin Simien is fairly good for the most part. He manages to get shots of the natural and supernatural and presents them to the audience. The mansion itself, a crumbling wreck to be fair, is a character all on its own and Simien shows this with his direction. He films the interiors with a good gothic style, showcasing the set and production design to the full. In a full-on horror flick, it would be more fitting. But for the most part, his direction is assured.
The writing by Katie Dippold tries hard. But ultimately, the film falls flat. It takes a long time to get to where it needs to be and that lets the film down badly. In these kinds of films, you need your audience to be invested, grabbing them from the start and never letting them go. Keep them interested throughout. Sadly, by the halfway point, we find ourselves looking at our watches, seeing how much longer the film has to run. And that is never a good thing. The story by itself should have been good enough to maintain our interest throughout the 123-minute running time. But with the jolts that take us out of the film, the bumps in the road that shouldn’t be there, distract us.
CONCLUSION
The film is a missed opportunity. It could have been something that would enthral everyone who goes to see it. The promise is there but it lacks the conviction to fully carry it through. It isn’t bad, it’s just not as good as it could and should have been. There is a brilliant film hidden within but it struggles to get out from under the more banal moments. And that is a shame as there is much to like and enjoy here. The performances, some of the comedy, and quite a few scary moments can’t hide the fact that the movie limps along for almost an hour before letting loose with all things spooky. Yes, there are some scenes that keep us invested but these are few and far between.
By the time we get to the climax, we find ourselves on predictable ground. Again, this is a shame. The movie had the chance to pull the rug out from under us, to give us an ending we didn’t see coming. But alas, it is too safe, too predictable, the same old, same old. Throw in some scenes that are unsuitable for young children and the family dynamic that the film aims for disappears fast.
It seems to be a movie to introduce younger viewers to the horror genre but it comes over a little too strong at times. It does manage to nicely tackle the feelings of grief, loneliness, and the time it takes to get over the loss we suffer. For that reason, it does gain an extra star. But despite its faults, it is an entertaining, if flawed horror comedy. It wipes away the stain of the 2003 Eddie Murphy version at the very least. There is much to enjoy here. Just don’t expect to remember it the following morning.
Haunted Mansion is currently in U.S. cinemas and is released in the UK on Friday by Walt Disney Pictures.
Carl Roberts is the News Editor for The Future of the Force. Aside from being our horror genre aficionado, he is also passionate about Star Wars, Marvel, DC, and the Indiana Jones movies. Follow him on Twitter where he uses the force frequently!
