Relatively new director, Peter Cornwell, brings us a horror film based on a true story. The cleverly named “The Haunting in Connecticut,” follows the true story of the Campbell family when they first move to a house in Connecticut so that Matt, the eldest son, can live closer to the hospital for his cancer treatment.
The story takes place in 1987 when Sara and Matt are on their way home from a treatment center and run into a very old house for rent. The rent is so cheap that Sara begins to ask questions.
The movie takes off from this point but isn’t so much of a new horror film but more of a “jump out of the closet” shocker film. Although, the director stops short in every scare, each scary moment could be seen from miles away.
The graphics look beautiful, but they end up short-lived because they lack in the actual terrifying part.
Strangely enough, you’ll get more fear from Virginia Madsen’s performance as the mother from her god-awful acting. Every scene she’s in, and she is in way too many, you wish that she would just stop acting. The true savior of the movie is Kyle Gallner, who plays Matt Campbell.
Gallner’s performance as a teen with cancer is nothing short of remarkable.
You root for him to get rid of the sickness, while battling his own demons living in the house. Although, when you move into a house, and you choose bedrooms are you really going to give the sick boy the basement to live in?
Not to mention. the creepy factor of the strange doors and the brick walls. To me, that just doesn’t seem like a logical choice.
The movie can pretty much be split into three parts. First is the obvious introduction to the plot and the characters. Second comes all the horror and scares, but remember they stop short of actually being terrifying. Then comes the rest of the plot.
All of the horror comes about a half hour to maybe an hour into the movie. After we find out what’s truly going on with this house and it’s “occupants” all the horror is finally over.
With very few decent horror films coming out, one would hope and assume that this based on a true story would be terrifying. A real jump out of your seats and keep the lights on movie. But with a PG-13 rating and a director who just didn’t really seem to want to show any real horror, it just drops off as an ordinary film.
It’s an enjoyable movie to watch but is most definitely not a movie you want to hold your plans and run out to see.
Adam Korman is a fifth-year student majoring in professional studies. He can be reached at AK587939@wcupa.edu.