A good horror film is nowadays so hard to find that you just get skeptical whenever a new one comes out. Recently, Hollywood had the need to look for Asian sources in order to refresh their stories and styles.
I love horror films, be it the psychological and (sometimes) misunderstood Blair Witch Project, the Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street series (although some entries are more of a comedy, imo) or those regarding haunting and paranormal activities.
When I had An American Haunting in hand, the first thing I saw was the cast. With Sissy Spacek and Donald Sutherland in, you could have high expectations, but I still remained skeptical, 'cause today it's very common to see good actors working for food. I had no idea about the plot's background whatsoever, so I just put the DVD on and prepared myself to watch a new horror feature, with no prejudice.
Well, despite some minor flaws, I must say I was pleasantly surprised. With a bit of a historical background, the movie develops very well and keeps you interested. The acting is very good, the effects are OK, and the camera work it's not that much of your typical "here comes a scary moment", and another good thing is that the ending, at least to me, was a bit of unexpected.
This might not be a new Exorcist or Poltergeist (this kind of films will never come back), but it's indeed a solid effort to deliver a thrilling experience using today's technology to stage an old Witch tale.
Rating: 8/10
I love horror films, be it the psychological and (sometimes) misunderstood Blair Witch Project, the Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street series (although some entries are more of a comedy, imo) or those regarding haunting and paranormal activities.
When I had An American Haunting in hand, the first thing I saw was the cast. With Sissy Spacek and Donald Sutherland in, you could have high expectations, but I still remained skeptical, 'cause today it's very common to see good actors working for food. I had no idea about the plot's background whatsoever, so I just put the DVD on and prepared myself to watch a new horror feature, with no prejudice.
Well, despite some minor flaws, I must say I was pleasantly surprised. With a bit of a historical background, the movie develops very well and keeps you interested. The acting is very good, the effects are OK, and the camera work it's not that much of your typical "here comes a scary moment", and another good thing is that the ending, at least to me, was a bit of unexpected.
This might not be a new Exorcist or Poltergeist (this kind of films will never come back), but it's indeed a solid effort to deliver a thrilling experience using today's technology to stage an old Witch tale.
Rating: 8/10