Apparitional

This is your standard low budget horror movie about ghost hunters who finally find the real thing. There's a formula for that kind of movie and this movie follows that formula. I like that. If you are a horror buff who likes ghosts then this movie will deliver the emotional roller coaster ride that you expect. For me that makes it a success. I enjoyed this movie and recommend it.

Also, all the protagonists are decent likable people. I really like that in a horror movie, and IMO it's one of the reasons why Asian horror is often so much better than US films. I want to like and care about the characters on the screen. In this movie that is easy to do. That fact alone makes this movie better than similar fare like Grave Encounters.

The film started off promising, giving hints that this could be a surprisingly good low budget film. Unfortunately I was surprised but not in a good way. The film built up as any good horror film would however at the first opportunity to capture the audience the acting failed miserably. I have seen several high school projects and the the students in those projects gave far better performances than this crew. The acting was below terrible. The character shallow with no depth in any way. At no point did I want any of the characters NOT to die. The lines, camera angles, unrealistic reactions (or complete lack of reactions) and absence of a basic plot made me register on IMDb so that I could warn others about this film.

Low budget horror that follows the crew of a TV ghost-hunting show as they investigate a haunted prison. Not 'found-footage', thankfully. No 'name actors', other than Dee Wallace, who gets an early scene as a foul-mouthed, ball-busting network exec. The location (the real life, closed Missouri State Penitentiary) is terrific, the cast are far better than normal for this sort of thing, and whilst the story is pretty generic, they do go for a 'twist'. Unfortunately, the CGI looks cheap, the music jars sometimes, and - despite the great setting - there isn't much tension. 5/10.

... you won't be disappointed. Some of the cliches are annoying i.e. Overweight guy always thinks of food although, if you can look past them while suspending your belief for the duration of this movie it is at least watchable. There is nothing new to discover here but, it handles all the ghost-hunting norms competently. The SFX are not amateur rather dominantly convincing even the CGI. I love seeing the actual old locations where these films are usually shot and this one was no letdown both dismally, despairingly, darkly atmospheric. About the only disappointment you may experience is the lack of deaths therefore, is you're looking for a slasher you will not be a happy viewer.

In a nutshell this movie looks professional, the actors are good enough for what it is, and the story is minority engaging. My only negative comment is: why are the paranormal investigators in these movies never prepared for odd situations like:

1. First aid 2. Extra batteries for all equipment 3. Extra flashlights 4. Headlamps 5. IR goggles to see in the dark if all lights fail 6. Bolt cutters, pry bars, basic tool kit.

A group of paranormal investigators need to deliver the goods to boost the ratings of their struggling TV show, so agree to film an episode in an old abandoned prison. Although long since abandoned, turns out the place might not be so empty as first thought of! 'Haunting of Cellblock 11' is a decent little low-budget horror/thriller with solid dialog and believable characters, and, despite a fairly slow start, a couple of effective scares pop up here and there. It's also a competently shot multi-camera affair, so despite the premise, there's very little in the way of single shaky camera 'found-footage' elements.

But one thing that instantly stands out are some better than average acting performances, and ultimate praise must go to the on screen husband and wife Jeffrey Johnson and Linara Washington. The pair share a convincing chemistry and very supportive, believable partnership throughout the film, and the few scenes where the sadly discuss their inability to have children is very touching, you literally want these two to make it through the ordeal. It's probably their relationship and the skill of the two actors that keeps you watching right through to the end.

Unfortunately some of the scares rely on pretty unconvincing CGI enhancements that are more ambitious than successful, and the film would have probably been more effective without them at all. Another problem is that something bad happens to one of the lead characters about half way through, and when he suddenly reappears later on, when asked what happened he essentially answers 'Oh man, I have no idea...', and it's never brought up again!

But 'Haunting of Cellblock 11' is still worth a watch. It tells a decent tale, has some reliable scares and all-around solid acting. I'm assuming there might also be a chance of some of the characters returning for another film?

7/10.