Third time is the charm?
This is the third film in this “A Haunting” series that I have watched. Why three of the same? I don’t know. I watched the second one out of curiosity and decided that may as well round out the week with a third. As the blog now moves to a three times a week release it might be easier to theme certain weeks.
We have now seen a haunted house, library, and theater. These locations are familiar trappings for the horror genre as a whole—and particularly popular in these docu-horror styles. The only thing we have missing right now is an insane asylum.
These movies are a lot like the plethora of ghost hunting shows on cable, but they simply work a bit better. I personally think the shows on cable and these films are contrived, but a surprising amount of people disagree.
I am not certain if fatigue is setting in, or if this film is simply a bit less interesting. The folks providing us our historical background sound less invested. The acting simply isn’t as convincing as it was in the other narratives. The people seem bored as the relay these supposedly terrifying experiences. Their boredom makes me bored. Though we are only with these folks for a few moments before the investigation starts, the faltering beginning sets an overall negative tone for the film.
I have called the other two films somewhat sleepy, and I do think they are the type of movie you could have on in the background. The difference is this one never has a lot of rising suspense. The other two will pique your interest here and there, but not this one. It is a little too slow paced (and thus becomes almost a carbon copy of the cable shows).
The dialogue is oddly stilted at moments. There are several times where it seems like they are reading of a cue card. Odd pauses or several “uhs” in a sentence distract from the overall message. Further, the emotive performances here are not to the same level as they have been. Everyone seems a little tired, bored, and indifferent. These feelings reflect onto the audience.
I was hoping that this one would be a solid entry, but it seems stuck in the genre it is trying to expand. The Dice House one is entertaining, and shows the growth of this creative team. You can give this one a pass 3/10.
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