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DVD : The Amityville Horror (Widescreen Special Edition) |
- Absolute zeroOne of the worst films ever made. Classic stupidity of horror movies. Dead people that have become alive again. I would give it a rating of 0/10. The actors are good but the storyline terrible. Glad I saw it on TV and not bought it.
Rating:
- Ryan's worth the priceWhile this is a remake of a classic, it does well, but doesn't really offer anything new to the story. [...] Ryan shows he can do more than comedy and does it better than other comedic actors trying to cross over to drama. Having him shirtless in pajamas bottoms doesn't hurt. I admit my libido impelled me to buy the DVD and I was happily surprised it worth a lot more than just Ryan as eye candy.
I'd love to see Ryan replace Tom Cruise as an action hero star.
Rating:
- The Amityville Horror is much better than some other remakes.This movie remake was pretty good. Even though I saw the original movie and knew what was coming, I did jump out of my seat a few times for it also put a chill up my spin.
There were several scary scenes that were excellent; "The Amityville Horror" delivers just that, fast pacing and some pretty effective jumps by using some cheap shock effects. Since this is a remake it is forgivable that it doesn't come up with anything remotely new or original. There's the ever so familiar haunted house, Dad losing his mind, heads shaking à la Jacob's Ladder, weird shadows moving fast and making insect sounds and the more than overused spooky little girl (really, having such a kid in another horror movie is idiotic and didn't even make much sense in this particular movie). Still, all that makes for an uneasy atmosphere and there's one scene in the bathroom that's set up gloriously, toying cleverly with a classic childhood fear (going to the toilet in the middle of the night in a dark and spooky house). Another great scene is the one with the babysitter in the closet then soon encounters with the ghost.
The director, Andrew Douglas, did a good job by showing little differences in George's attitude and demeanor once he was out of the house. Ryan Reynolds also did a good job of portraying this to the viewers. He has come a long way. Melissa George could also leave her mark in Hollywood if the right roles come along for her. I was pretty impressed by her performance almost as much as Ryan's.
While not the best of its genre, "The Amityville Horror" has it's place amongst horror movies. It is worth seeing, as you can do much worse if you do not do your homework.
Rating:
- If Your House Turns You Into A Maniac--LEAVE!!!!Oh good, I really wanted a serious exploration into the paranormal and the descent of man into madness. Surely this film, "based on a true story," would be just the ticket. Just kidding, we all knew this was going to be silly hokum from the get-go. I didn't believe this "true story" as a book, I didn't believe it as a film almost 30 years ago, and I haven't lost any brain cells since then.
So the best I can say about the remake of "The Amityville Horror" is that it's less than 90 minutes. OK, maybe that's harsh--I didn't hate this movie as some people did. It just barely registered at all. I suppose there is some suspense in the final moments, that's more than some movies. But since none of the characters are developed very well, it's hard to work up much interest. I suppose it's nice to see Ryan Reynolds in something other than an idiotic comedy. Of course, that would be more interesting if he actually had the talent or presence to do anything more serious.
Here is the insurmountable problem. The movie plays much like "The Shining," and yes, I'm being generous with the comparison. But in "The Shining," the family couldn't leave when things started spiraling out of control. They were trapped and isolated, they had to play it out. In "The Amityville Horror," that is not the case. The house is so inherently evil--everyone knows it. The real estate agent sees spirits, the priest is chased away, the little girl almost gets killed, a baby-sitter is driven insane--and yet it never occurs to someone that maybe they should leave. My favorite moment comes at the end (possible spoiler) as the family looks back at the house from the boat. The husband has seemingly snapped out of his homicidal rage and is free from the house's influence!!! Yea!!! But I couldn't help thinking--Man, maybe they should have gone out to eat more often, shopping, whatever--if that's all it took to break free. "Honey, I'm going to pick up some groceries. I'm starting to feel like I want to murder the kids. See you in a few." KGHarris, 10/06.
Rating:
- Amityville Horrible...Back in the 70s when I was a kid, I devoured horror books and movies. I remember reading Jay Anson's "true" book on the Amityville haunting and being totally freaked out. So when the original movie hit theaters, I had to see it. I cajoled my older brother into taking me to a late night showing. I was so scared that I kept my feet off the theater floor for the entire show, and I didn't sleep much that week. I believe that Stephen King wrote that he sensed genuine fear in audiences who caught the first "Amityville Horror."
Too bad the remake doesn't live up to its predecessor. Of course, the basic plot is the same. In the mid-1970s, the Lutz family moves into a huge house that would normally be out of their price range. It doesn't take them long to find out why they got such a good deal. Seems a young man brutally murdered his parents and four younger siblings there the year before. And they ain't resting in peace. Supernatural hijinks ensue, and the Lutz's end up fighting for their lives.
The cast is OK (except for the ineffectual priest who's facial expression never seems to change no matter what happens). However, this movie fails on a number of levels. For one, it's a pointless remake. It would take a lot to top the original, which had superior actors and relied on old-fashioned scares. Speaking of the fear factor (or lack thereof), this time around the producers decided to throw subtlety out the door. Why do some "horror" directors think fast, twitchy movements and over-the-top CGI effects are scary? Finally, they weren't content to violate one previous horror film. They must've figured that adding elements of "The Shining" and "Poltergeist II" would amp things up to the next level. Or not, as it turns out.
The result: A forgettable movie that ranks down there with "The Haunting" redo. Avoid this turkey like a haunted house, and get the original "Amityville Horror" if you want a decent scare.
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