(2011) **1/2
The current ‘found footage’ fad
that has been made popular by the Paranormal Activity films is applied to the
long-played out Amityville Horror series in this blatant, flat rip-off. In the latest installment Doug Benson
convinces his reluctant wife to move into the famous house arguing that they
would never be able to get a house this large with their budget. Their teenage son, Greg, a budding filmmaker,
documents everything with his movie camera.
Their angst-ridden older daughter wants nothing to do with any of them
and spends most of her time texting, brooding and complaining as all girls
do. Their youngest daughter, who starts
talking to an imaginary friend, seems happy to be anywhere.
From day one things go badly. Their real estate agent passes out and dies
and one of the movers falls down the staircase to his demise. Soon doors begin opening and closing on their
own volition and a nasty (nest?) of flies shows up (where do flies live?). Convinced that his children are responsible
for all the kafuffle, Doug sets up cameras around the house to catch them in
the act (what a jerk!). This
combination of still cameras and Greg’s film footage are pieced together to explain
what eventually happens to the doomed family.
Copying the exact tone and
structure of the Paranormal films The Amityville Haunting is mostly a
disaster. The plagiarism is so blatant I
wonder if the creator of Paranormal Activity is in a law office as I write this
review. The film takes place over the
course of 5 days and just like the Paranormal films we get a date and
time-stamp throughout the story. There
are a few scares to be had, but boy is this a lazy movie! Clearly shot quickly and on a very low
budget, the acting is abysmal and someone was not paying attention to detail
(e.g. Greg wears the same outfit the entire time, gross!). My sense is that the script was very loose
enabling the actors to adlib their (bad) dialogue. Near the beginning of the movie Greg informs
the movers that their new house is the famous Amityville house and the movers
say that they never heard of it – really?
6 comments:
Good God is the Amityville series ever going to produce something good or finally just go away?
Just go away! It's the easier option!
"brooding and complaining as all girls do"
What's up with the dis, JPX? You must have just been annoyed from watching such a lame movie.
Haha, DCD, I was just seeing if you were paying attention!
Maybe the ghosts were annoyed by Greg's stench. Seriously, he clothes probably stood up by themselves at that point.
i didn't even like the original that much....
Sounds like 2.5 stars was generous!
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