Search - The Amityville Horror [UMD for PSP] on UMD for PSP

Sexed up version of the bland original

Nicholas Carroll | Portland OR United States | 10/12/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"In 2002, I happened to see the original Amityville house on Long Island (which was renovated to replace the creepy looking windows). That got me interested in the story and I finally watched the original horror film, which was so bland and lacking in suspense that I don't know why previews of that movie gave me nightmares as a child.

With today's film technology, I looked forward to seeing this new version. Signs were not good when the film's distributors refused to allow film critics to pre-screen the movie for the Friday write-ups. Roger Ebert created his "finger wave" category for the distributor's cowardice in facing the film critics.

While this film is a big improvement on the 1979 film, it still has a lot of cheap shots and comes across as manipulative. What it lacks in horror, they make up for it by spiking the scary music and quick jumps to startle the audience. Although based on a true story (whether it happened or was an elaborate hoax continues to be debated), so many instances strained credibility...such as the daughter walking dangerously on the roof. Yeah, right.

The scene I most like in this film, however, deals with the babysitter, as she adds much humor to the story. Because of her and having actor Ryan Reynolds walk around shirtless, showing off his well-sculpted body, its obvious that the makers of the film settled for a sexed up version for modern audiences to make up for the lack of suspense and true drama/horror. That also strains credibility, but its only a movie...one that's hard to take seriously from the get-go.

The truly horrifying scene takes audiences into the basement to discover the house's secret past that explains the haunting. It is the most graphic part of the film and the scariest. If this film had more of that, instead of trying to be a cheap imitation of "The Sixth Sense" (which is what I thought of everytime that ghost girl popped up unexpectedly for no other reason than to startle the audience), I would give it another star. As is, its an okay film for a few laughs and an improvement upon the original."

"Houses don't kill people" ...or do they?

Eddie Lancekick | Pacific Northwest | 10/12/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The most popular haunted house in America (and rightly so!) is brought to the screen a second time by producer Michael Bay.

George and Kathy Lutz (Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George) are a young couple who are searching for a new home to move to. This takes them to a lil' place called Amityville, Long Island where they find a sprawling multi-storied home by a lake that on first glance they think is way out of their price range. They suddenly find out from a hesitant realtor why the house is so underpriced - a year before, a man living in the house murdered his family in their sleep, claiming he was commanded to commit the crime by demonic voices.

"Houses don't kill people" George decideds, so that's that! The family soon move into their dream of a lifetime, only to discover that soon they would be living a nightmare.

George is doing his best to better relations with his kids, who were his wife's from her former marriage (her 1st husband died). Suddenly he starts spending more time in the basement, and thinks's he's hearing things from the air vents.

Some of this you may think sounds cliche' and like any other haunted house story..the difference is the movie was based on an actual documented event! The murders were real, the family buying the home after the murder's were real..what happened next is anyone's guess, but let's say that the experiences they have in this house would change their lives forever.

There are still strange unanswered questions surrounding the murders of the original family that first lived in the house and several supernatural presumptions are interwoven within it.

Ammityville rises above the norm of haunted house stories and what enables this in large part is the cast! The actors are all well suited for their roles and do an excellent job bringing life into a movie that is bent on death."

Not a masterpiece...but good horror

Nathan Christian | Pitcairn, PA USA | 01/16/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This movie made me cringe in several places. I couldn't take it when the little girl was balancing herself on the top of the roof. The camera angles really got me. And when George made the kid hold the log wile he swung the axe to chop it was a reeal nail biter.

If you over analize it, you'll be disappointed. But if you approach this fast moving film as a joyride through terror...hop on!

At least rent it if you don't buy it."

The best movie ever!

mcr_fan | Texas | 01/30/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This movie was not that scary to me because I don't get scared easily. But it was very good. There is not a minute that something is not happing. It is very good. Hope this helps someone."