The Haunting in Connecticut  Review - Lisa Murph for The Mungles on Movies
The big allure of a horror film "based on a true story" seems to already set a mood of mystery or at least help the movie have an edge to its viewers. The Haunting in Connecticut documents the disturbing tale of the Campbell family and their experiences after moving into an old Victorian home the realtor describes as having "a bit of a history".
Sara Campbell (Virginia Madsen) was burdened by her sickly son's (Matt, by Kyle Gallner) long and painful commute to the hospital and decides to buy a home close to the hospital in Connecticut to help ease his exhausting battle with cancer. Dad, Peter (Marvin Donovan), is also struggling with his own personal demons of alcoholism and failure to provide for Matt's expensive treatments. Matt finds himself facing the reality that he is "in the valley of the shadow of death" and can now see what most healthy people can't see; souls looming on this earth. Matt begins to see grim images in the house lurking in corners and senses he is not alone. The Campbell family soon discovers their new home was a funeral parlor back in the 1920's. Creepy old photographs of corpses are found along with an old embalming room in the basement. Matt is burdened by intense hauntings from a ghostly young man named Joseph, the son of the former funeral owner who is a gateway for the dead. Soon the entire family is faced with the realization that they are all under attack from beyond the grave.
"House haunting" really has been done too many times, but The Haunting in Connecticut is somewhat effective. I felt the characters were believable and relatable, and had some good moments of family unity through terrible experiences. Kyle Gallner gives a good performance making his personal struggle with life more engaging. Many of the scenes where familiar, yes we have all seen an old possessed home in the middle of nowhere, creaking stairs, flash imagery, and trouble in the dark, but this movie does give a little bit of newness to the old horror flic song and dance. The Haunting in Connecticut isn't ground breaking in the realm of horror movies, but it does give a good scare on a Friday night. I give it 3 out of 5. |
