A classic example of how modern day special effects, no matter how well crafted (which they are in The Haunting) can ruin an otherwise good, if well used, storyline. If film makers limited the use of special effects to support the actors and plot, rather than as a substitute, then I think we would all benefit.
The film begins with a steady, albeit predictable build up and the first scenes in the house really make you want to believe it is has a mysterious and sinister past. However, about half way through the film the actors become secondary to the overdone special effects and seem to confine themselves to wandering around aimlessly.
At no stage during the film did I ever feel scared nor did I receive any sudden frights (compared, for example, to the "choke on your popcorn" frights delivered in Sixth Sense). If this was the aim of the film, then I'm afraid it failed miserably. In the scariness stakes, repeated loud noises and wobbly walls are no match for the brief glimpse of an unexplained shadow or a rapidly moving household object narrowly missing you.
I felt the ending to The Haunting was very abrupt and did not satisfactorily explain all that had happened in the closing scenes. While I usually don't mind films to end in such a way that make the audience work out the ending, I found in this case I didn't care.
By no means the worst film I have seen this year - there are a few good creepy scenes and the house is truly magnificent. The Haunting was sufficiently "average" to avoid me feeling cheated of my admission money, but it is not a film I intend to see again.
The film begins with a steady, albeit predictable build up and the first scenes in the house really make you want to believe it is has a mysterious and sinister past. However, about half way through the film the actors become secondary to the overdone special effects and seem to confine themselves to wandering around aimlessly.
At no stage during the film did I ever feel scared nor did I receive any sudden frights (compared, for example, to the "choke on your popcorn" frights delivered in Sixth Sense). If this was the aim of the film, then I'm afraid it failed miserably. In the scariness stakes, repeated loud noises and wobbly walls are no match for the brief glimpse of an unexplained shadow or a rapidly moving household object narrowly missing you.
I felt the ending to The Haunting was very abrupt and did not satisfactorily explain all that had happened in the closing scenes. While I usually don't mind films to end in such a way that make the audience work out the ending, I found in this case I didn't care.
By no means the worst film I have seen this year - there are a few good creepy scenes and the house is truly magnificent. The Haunting was sufficiently "average" to avoid me feeling cheated of my admission money, but it is not a film I intend to see again.
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