A Haunting In Connecticut
The film begins by telling us that it’s based on a true story. Yeah, like Silence of the Lambs and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre are based on the Ed Gein story.
So there’s this kid who has terminal cancer who has to get experimental treatments… in Connecticut. Since the commute is ridiculous, the boy’s mother decides they should rent a house that’s closer to where he’s getting treated. Of course, the house she chooses is the cheap, creepy looking place. Right away our cancer boy starts to see strange things going on, which we find out is because he’s "in between the two worlds" (as explained by Casey Jones). Regardless, Dad, the two little kids and the cousin join our unhappy duo in the haunted house… in Connecticut. There’s a mysteriously locked room downstairs that no one can open, for about two days, then the door mysteriously opens to reveal the ugly truth… the house used to be a funeral home! Worse, all the medical instruments and fluids are still around. Instead of complaining to the landlord or maybe the rental association, out loving family decide they should just not go into that room anymore. You know, cause of the sharp instruments and the little kids…
Moving on. Turns out that’s not the only history in the place; looks like they also used to hold séances, with a little boy as the psychic. In a moment of entrepreneurial brilliance, the director of the place used necromancy to enhance the boys powers so his readings would be more showy… which from what we’re shown just meant he threw-up a lot.
Yup… this was a true story folks.
What makes this movie so painful is that it’s supposed to be a scary film. Instead, it’s more about a family dealing with their dying son… in Connecticut. Along the way, the mother reaffirms her faith, the father reaffirms he’s an alcoholic, the kids reaffirm they like to play hide & go seek in inappropriate places, and the cancer boy reaffirms that when you get messed up visions that no one else can see, you should investigate them completely.
There’s really only one ghost who shows up, and you figure out who he is pretty early on, and the big "twist" really isn't that surprising, and can be guessed quickly.
What’s worse is that the scary parts with the ghosts are basically a diet coke version of The 6th Sense.
There are some small bits of creepy, but the overall experience is more about this family and their drama. For a ghost story, that’s extremely depressing… even in Connecticut. If you’re dying to see this film, borrow it from one of you friends who were unlucky enough to purchase the film and hit fast forward.
Comments
Really fun review. Thanks for the laughs.
Posted by: Queen of the Abyss | December 21, 2009 10:21 PM