Haunted

American Poltergeist is one of those dodgy franchises, as if people are making their own films with their own titles then some agreement is made to have American Poltergeist tagged on to add some kind of credibility. None of the movies are made by the same people, they have absolutely no connection to one another and it's hard for that reason to even call it a franchise.

Regardless this is the 7th (And hopefully last) such movie, is Spanish made and despite the low rating it's actually one of the better ones.

While his sister is away a man is tasked with house sitting and taking care of her cats. It doesn't take long however before strange things begin to happen and he begins to question whether he's truly alone.

Essentially another haunting/demonic tale it struggles to find a tone, it's a horror movie yet our two leads are both oddly comedic which just didn't sit right with me. The structure of the movie is also terrible, confusing and and make no mistake the cover art has absolutely nothing to do with the film whatsoever (That nonsense needs to stop).

However it does have things going for it, for example the sfx are excellent. You simply don't expect that from a movie of this ilk but everything looked great, both the practical and CGI. That was a pleasant surprise and helped the movie no end.

If the movie had been put together a bit better this might have been quite a pleasant surprise. Sadly it's flaws overwhelm the film and leave it a shell of what it could have been.

Despite this it's a lot better than you'd expect if you've watched any of the previous American Poltergeist movies.

The Good:

Great sfx

A couple of passable ideas

The Bad:

Poor audio balancing in places

Characters are too comedic to take seriously

Dishonest cover art

Doesn't flow very well

Just the most random "scarwe" yes scarweee that's what I call movies that think they scary. The movie doesn't elaborate very well on why this is happening the scenes change so quick and he was mean to Liza for literally no reason. What guy says no to 5 minutes of head??? If there was a 0 I would've put that but unfortunately they haven't added it. It's a no for me dawg.

Character development in "Haunted" left much to be desired. Secondary characters seemed to lack depth, existing primarily as vessels for the plot to move forward. This oversight hindered emotional investment in their fates, and as a result, pivotal moments lacked the resonance they needed to be truly impactful.

Moreover, the setting, often a crucial element in horror, failed to play a significant role in generating fear. A well-crafted, atmospheric environment can serve as an additional character, heightening the overall sense of dread. Unfortunately, "Haunted" missed this opportunity, with the setting feeling underutilized and lacking the eerie presence necessary to enhance the narrative.

Despite these criticisms, it's important to acknowledge the potential that "Haunted" initially displayed. The premise held promise, and certain sequences did manage to evoke a sense of unease. However, these moments were ultimately overshadowed by the film's broader failings, leaving them unable to salvage the overall viewing experience.

In conclusion, "Haunted" unfortunately falls short of its aspirations to be a truly haunting cinematic experience. Its narrative inconsistencies, pacing issues, underdeveloped characters, and missed opportunities in cinematography and setting prevent it from reaching its full potential. While there are glimmers of promise, they are ultimately eclipsed by the film's broader failings. Regrettably, "Haunted" must be categorized as a scarweee in every sense of the word.

Everything about this movie was awful. The actors and actresses, the manuscript and everything about it. I recommend everyone to do something more useful of the time than watching this movie. It is just a waste of time and electricity.

I feel betrayed. When I rented this movie is was a 6.0 at the IMDB but after fuve minutes I thought WTF! Overall it is very very very bad. The actors are over acting and ieeeew the girl has a voice that is so terrible! Did I mention the bad acting? This will be my last rented movie at the cable company. Very very very bad movie.

A young writer looks after his sister's house, while she take her young son out of town. Haunted may use some overused formula, but at least it keeps you busy all the time, not only with a spooky scene, but also with some funny moments. In the end, I've seen much worse. Also it's kind of a good refrest from everday hollywood horror films.