nheld
This movie startet actually pretty okay, at least way better than I expected. For around 45 minutes I said to myself "This isn't so bad. That's a solid 6.5." Okay, there wasn't happening much, but that's not a bad thing. You keep the pacing slow and than some strange things start to happen, until the girl disappears and the family decides "to call someone".
But instead some freaky, weird and maybe creepy lady showing up, there just came this drunk fella, pissing me in the face for 45 minutes. This became so absurd in a bad way, so dumb dialogue, so unnecessary scenes, so never ending stoned / drunk Sam Rockwell, that I can't imagine how this was green lit in the first place. Filmed. Produced. Showed in cinemas. I mean: What the heck? Did someone even bother to read through the entire script?!But there's one good thing about this pile of horse rubbish. I realised what is the problem with all those (remakes of) modern horror films: They don't take the subject seriously. They don't buy their own stories. There isn't the same sense of wonder and believe in occultism, that has been in the late 60s, 70s and maybe early 80s. That's why they produce such mindless bull crap.Seriously - don't watch this.
Nigel P
I vaguely remember watching the original version of this on television many years ago. The only abiding memory I have is of a little girl mewling 'They're coming,' and a television screen dancing with static. So on that basis, I have nothing much to compare this remake to. It begins with that most frightening thing: the wholesome family unit!Dad (Eric played by Sam Rockwell) is initially something of a twit but we warm to him as time goes on; mum (Amy, Rosemary DeWitt) tolerates everything with a smile; the teen daughter (Kendra, Saxon Sharbino) is constantly bored, growing up to look perfect and is spitefully sardonic and unbearable unless she gets her own way; the young son (Griffin - Kyle Catlett injects a refreshing earnestness into his character) is the best of the lot: un-sporty, polite and reserved, and the little girl (Maddie, Kennedi Clements) is a typical drama student juvenile. No more, no less. The paranormal investigator Carrigan Burke (Jared Harris) called out to investigate livens things up.The encroaching possession elements are handled very well. Apart from the cartoon-ish CGI tree terrorising Griffin, most of the effects in the house are real and physical (the finale very much the exception). The camera pans round a bedroom full of everyone sleeping as all the electrical items crackle on and off of their own accord. There are loud bangs and musical stings. And not one of these things is remotely frightening. What is guaranteed to squash the effect is the almost constant accompaniment of screaming children - which may be something I might be in the minority having any kind of problem with.I would say this is as competent as it can be, with a spectacular finale. It doesn't appear to tarnish the high reputation of the original, but doesn't take any particular risks with the format either.
tstudstrup
I can't really remember the original. I do know that when it comes to horror I prefer practical effects over cgi. And this remake has way too much cgi. The old one of course only had practical effects. I still don't remember it as scary though. Except one scene where a technician in horror thinks he's pulling his own face off. This being PG13, we only get a scene where an annoying rude Ashton Kutcher-type-technician gets his arm stuck and is almost getting a drill into his face. Pretty lame.Especially considering the scene just before where it would have been nice if he had been killed by the drill.The acting goes from bad to decent to bad to decent again. And there are plot holes biggger than the one in the little girls closet.For a family that has lost their youngest daughter to angry spirits, they remain very calm, only to break down a couple of times. If I had kids and one of them had gone missing, I would be terrified all the time, unable to eat or sleep.As far as plot holes go, the entire movie is a major plothole, like how a father who was recently fired, can get a bankloan to buy a house.Especially since the mother isn't working How the family can just borrow the ghost hunters car at the end of the movie, only to never give it back and never come back for their own car. How the father with cancelled creditcards can buy expensive gifts for his family. How they're forcing their boy to sleep in the attic,. when he's terrified. How they find creepy clown dolls in his closet and don't get rid of them, even though they scare the boy.As far as the girl gone missing this was done way better in Insidious where a boy went missing the exact same way. And most likely much better in the original Poltergeist movie.If you can live with all these plot holes and some annoying characters, acting illogical in many situations, then you will like this movie. If you want good acting and real scare, watch Insidious instead.
generationofswine
Have you seen it? No? There is likely a very good reason for that...it stinks.Like nearly ALL the endless remakes and reboots that have been plaguing movie goers for the past decade or so....all this is, is a heartless version of the original.It has no heart.It has no soul.It is a retelling of a film that we all love and cherish...and it adds nothing to the story. It improves nothing but the special effects--which held up very well over time--and in some cases belittles the fans of the original...particularly in the fact that they remade the movie at all, without adding anything clever to it.Like so many other remakes it is a hallow shell of the original.
AD
