I believe this qualifies as a "found footage" movie, but it may be a different category. The production quality was EXCELLENT, The combination of characters, from the investigator team to the family were exceptional both in casting and in their acting. Especially great was the young boy and his interaction with the crew. Also, the father who really gave a very real and very consistent performance, and was very convincing as a troubled man who finds himself trying to hold it together. Even the scene at the breakfast table was excellent. So all around great casting and crew.
The deeper dive we get into the equipment used, much of it new to the generic stuff we see in most "ghost hunter" inventory, plus the combination of the professor, who although sufficiently geeky professor, also showed a very real human side, and his care for the work and the people around him were very evident. All of the characters were likeable or at least we can be sympathetic to them.
Then there were the jump scares which they made you work for, and built them up very nicely. I really liked how the professor had to be certain and then he announces "on to the next phase".
I have read some of the objections to this, and I really feel like some of these folks were expecting something not quite so dramatically well done. I loved every thing about it, and for this type of movie, and I have watched a lot of them, I give it an 8... 7 at the least.
I really find it hard sometimes to figure out what it is people are expecting. And no offense I think maybe their range of different kinds of movies is limited... which is fine, but when rating a movie I think it a good idea to keep the intent of the producers and directors and casting, and not just downgrade it because we wanted something different.
