Directed by Justin Simien (Dear White People (2014); Bad Hair (2020)) and starring LaKeith Stanfield (Knives Out (2019); Judas and the Black Messiah (2021); Uncut Gems (2019); The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018)), Rosario Dawson (Sin City (2005); Space Jam: A New Lagacy (2021)), Owen Wilson (Starsky & Hutch (2004); The Royal Tenenbaums (2001); The French Dispatch (2021); Wonder (2017)), Danny DeVito (Matilda (1996); L.A. Confidential (1997); Romancing the Stone (1984); Taxi (tv series, 1978-83)), Tiffany Haddish (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022); Night School (2018); Girls Trip (2017)) and Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022); Halloween (1978); True Lies (1994)).
Comedy Action Drama; 123 mins; 12+
Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and her son move into a crumbling old mansion in the outskirts of New Orleans, Louisiana, only to find it haunted. They try leaving, but the ghosts just follow them, so they end up back in the house where things start to happen after midnight... They end up camping downstairs in the living room, too afraid to venture upstairs due to the hundreds of ghosts, apparitions and strange happenings.
She then enlists the help of Ben Matthias (LaKeith Stanfield), a tour guide who used to be an astrophysicist, Father Kent (Owen Wilson), a charlatan of a priest, Bruce Davis (Danny DeVito), a historian, and Harriet (Tiffany Haddish), a psychic who conjures up Madame Leota (Jamie Lee Curtis) to try to get rid of the ghosts and exorcise the house. They soon learn that they are in a race against time as Crump needs just one more soul to achieve the magic 1,000...
Inspired by the classic theme park attraction, this is a very disappointing (reboot of the 20023 version with Eddie Murphy) outing from Disney, despite an all-star ensemble cast which also has Jared Leto as The Hatbox Ghost.
While the CGI is indeed impressive, particularly the "stretching room/hallway", it is too light-hearted and without any real scary ghosts or happenings - most of the scary films are what the audience does NOT see... The main characters appear as a group of random strangers and there is little chemistry between them; the plot and script are also very formulaic.
Hopefully the ride itself is more thrilling...
Currently screening in Luxembourg at Kinepolis.
