Review of The Haunting in Connecticut (2009) by Johnny T — 01 Mar 2011

Don't misunderstand: the proceedings are pretty silly, and the scares were a lot fresher back then, but Cornwell and his cast take things just seriously enough to keep us at least intermittently on edge. Sinks or swims with the actors. Gallner makes a very convincing boy-about-to-die; Madsen is his properly stricken mom; and Donovan, an under-used leading man, plays the stressed, guilt-ridden dad well. Although it's reasonably well-acted and offers a few certifiable jolts, feels awfully familiar. The movie bumps along from low-grade scare to scare, and it's not lousy, mainly because Virginia Madsen prevents it from being so. A technically proficient horror movie and well acted.

VERDICT: "Matinée" - (Mixed reaction). These kinds of movies are usually movies that had some good things, but some bad things kept it from being amazing. This rating says to pay matinée prices to see at a theater or buy an ex rental or a cheap price the DVD to own.