Rating of
2.5/4
Haunted Mansion - Review
Matthew Brady - wrote on 08/10/23
Haunted Mansion is better than some had made it out to be. The film focuses on grief and how it has affected some of the characters but how it also makes them an easy target for grief-hungry spirits.
I do have issues with it. The film is too long, clocking in two hours. The main villain is generic and even has a generic evil laugh. To be fair - I would never guess Jared Leto played the part if I didn’t know beforehand.
There was one moment where Lakeith Stanfield gave a surprisingly emotional performance that was moving. It would have been even more effective if there was no sad music underneath it because you don't need to cue the audience that you have to feel sorry for the character now, as the emotion is already there. Unfortunately, the scene got ruined by forced and unfunny humour. I wished it was risky enough to let it be as it is: emotional.
Although this was a memorable experience, and the reason is not the film itself, it is the fact I watched it in an American cinema. I was in Orlando and saw this in an AMC cinema. The comparison between UK and US cinema was interesting. The smell of butter in popcorn was so strong, how many freaking movie trailers were playing before it started, or how wildly different things operated. The audience was responsive to the film, laughing at every line spoken. Also, I had the privilege of seeing that Nicole Kidman AMC commercial on the big screen, and what is even funnier is that as soon as it started, I heard someone sitting next to me whisper, “I hate this commercial”.
So, I have been to the UK, US, Dubai, Australia, and New Zealand cinemas. I wonder what is next.
