The Hopewell Haunting

First I want to commend the film makers on their stunningly accurate portrayal of how rural Appalachian people behave, especially old people. There was an eerie backwoods realism to The Hopewell Haunting, all the way down to the illiterate but nice young husband with what appeared to be an intellectually disabled wife. As creepy as it totally was, that this disabled woman did not say a word for the entire film and was led around like a small child or an Alzheimer's patient, even that icky detail was on point.

The haunting screams are also genuinely disturbing.

The plot itself is fair to middling. I would have appreciated a clearer backstory as a conclusion to the film. It honestly bugged me that two - possibly three - of the characters were in their 70s yet not one of these old men had any clue about this ancient murder in their own hometown where they'd lived for their entire lives.

Loved it. Aside from the very haunting scenery and authentic acting, it had many edge-of-the-seat scary elements with a conclusive and thoughtful ending. The period in time and the scenes really add to the overall melancholy vibe. The scary parts deliver well. I was peeking through my fingers a few times. It had a wonderful, deeper storyline that lent to a greater understanding of the main character's struggles. There was a sad element too, which I won't reveal. And surprisingly, there were a few happy emotions as well. Good story with a decipherable ending. We love a thoroughly good, quality haunt, and this truly delivered.

In this age of hyper-slick, overwrought, computer generated special effects, The Hopewell Haunting is a refreshing return to the organic storytelling and practical staging that melds horror with realism. There are no flashy effects, no complicated backstory, no desperate pushing of the envelope. Just a straightforward ghost story that holds your interest and satisfies your curiosity.

Well-plotted and visually engaging, the story unfolds slowly, at a pace that matches the lifestyle of the region in which it's set. Overall, an enjoyable slice-of-life horror story worthy of a watch.

You'll love this if you don't need a plot or story. Great darkly shot scenes where you don't see anything. Mind numbing dialogue and repetitive dull soundtrack. Old snot rag is the basis of the film that never gets explained or developed. The only terror I experienced was due to the fact that I watched the entire production. Did everyone in rural Kentucky wear brand new clothes? They did in this.

If you really want to enjoy this you're going to need to drink multiple Mint Juleps. I believe that the well of Hope in Hopewell has run dry. The only haunting you experience after viewing this is the terror you realize how much time you've lost.

I watched this on a whim, with zero expectations going in, was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. The other ratings make for it to seem like a "bad" horror film.

Out the gate you can tell it's a low budget film and you think it's gonna be the same tropes use in every other horror movie out there.

The location, time period, and soundtrack make for a spooky nerve racking experience. The camera work from normal switching to POV is a great touch.

If you're looking for a movie that's gore and jump scares at every turn, you're going to be disappointed. If you enjoy the classics from the likes of Karloff and Chaney with more subtlety and coming to your own conclusions, recommend this movie.