Haunted Mansion Movie Review: LaKeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson’s Horror-Comedy is Sluggishly Paced with a Dull Plot (LatestLY Exclusive)

Haunted Mansion Movie Review: Ever since the release of Pirates of the Caribbean, Disney has never realised that just because you make a great movie based on a well-liked ride in Disneyland, doesn't guarantee you will get the same results by turning other rides into films, and Haunted Mansion is the perfect example for that. It’s simply 123 minutes of a dull adventure with performances that barely make it tolerable. Haunted Mansion Trailer: Owen Wilson, Rosario Dawson, Danny DeVito and Jared Leto’s Disney Horror-Comedy Promises a Spooky Ride (Watch Video).

As previously stated, Haunted Mansion is a horror comedy directed by Justin Simien that is based on the Disneyland ride of the same name. Ben (LaKeith Stanfield) is an astrophysicist and a widower, who gets called to - you guessed it -a haunted mansion to identify the ghosts and get them out. He must work alongside a team while also coming to terms with the death of his wife and gaining a new family.

Haunted Mansion's worst offence is that it is unapologetically uninteresting. There is nothing of surprise here that I hadn’t already seen in Bollywood and Hollywood horror comedies alike. Haunted Mansion follows the guide book to a T and never diverges to accomplish anything fascinating, which made me entirely lose interest in it. Additionally, it is perhaps 20 minutes too lengthy, and the slow pacing makes for an adventure that drags out before anything even intriguing occurs.

Although the visual flair provided by director Justin Simien is cool, it is insufficient to excuse the lengthy running time. It makes two hours seem like a lifetime, and because of it, I kept checking out. Even the meagre entertainment value that the Haunted Mansion does offer is due to the actors' efforts to improve a subpar script through their performances.

Watch the Trailer:

If LaKeith Stanfield weren't around, Haunted Mansion would lack a certain amount of heart. Ben is possibly the most fully realised of all the characters in the film, and as a result, Haunted Mansion does have some positive aspects. Rosario Dawson, too, is convincing as Gabbie, a single mother looking out for her child and Chase W Dillon is often hilarious as her son Travis.

Danny Devito and Tiffany Haddish are amusing playing the roles of a professor named Bruce and the psychic Harriet. Unfortunately, it's Owen Wilson as Father Kent who was a bit underutilised, which was disappointing considering he had great comedic timing. Jared Leto plays the franchise mascot Hatbox Ghost, and fails to create an impression. Jamie Lee Curtis also appears as Leota, and her short role was a treat.

For all of its horror vibes too, Haunted Mansion fails to be scary unfortunately. It’s hilarious on a few occasions, but as a horror-comedy package, the two elements themselves aren’t well balanced. There is passion behind the film, but it's just layered under schlock that it rarely shows up on screen. Maybe with a bit of tightening its story, Haunted Mansion could have at least been an enjoyable watch.

Final Thoughts

Haunted Mansion is a sluggishly paced mess with a few capable performances that occasionally keeps things interesting. In terms of being a horror comedy, it doesn’t offer anything new, and just like the mansion in the film, it probably should be avoided if you are looking for an easy afternoon viewing. Haunted Mansion is playing in cinemas right now.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 28, 2023 07:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).