The Haunted Mansion

It would be nice to have more humor, especially black humor... This way, you wait for forty-five minutes before some real ghosts appear and something finally starts to happen (the carriage ride to the mausoleum and everything that happens there is clearly the best part of the film). Yes, Terence Stamp made a couple of very good horror appearances behind someone who wasn't expecting him, and yes, I liked Mark Mancina's music, and the singing heads were perfect. There was just not enough of everything and the rest was so boring. (12/27/2013)

No revealing spiritualism, which functions tolerably only as an average comedy, on the other hand, nothing to speak of, the unbearably clumsy family atmosphere. It is fortunate that there are singing stone heads and aggressive musical instruments flying around, otherwise it would be even worse. (05/01/2006)

When you watch The Haunted Mansion, you will laugh and shake in fear at the same time. So says the packaging. The problem is that there is nothing to laugh at and the fear is limited to a few predictable "very spooky" jump scares, which can be predicted even by a beginner viewer. In addition, the story is so worn and frayed that it cannot be sewn back together. Perhaps the actors could help, but led by Eddie Murphy, they fail through their geeky and unconvincing acting on all fronts. The rest? The effects... decent, fair. The music... decent, Disney opulent. The directing... average, lifeless, unimaginative. This film needed a handful of good ideas, but instead only got a few hand-fulls of sparse ghosts stories, embarrassing jokes and disgustingly cheesy moments. So, at best you'll shake with disgust, and if that makes you laugh... well, may the devil be with you. Below average. (09/13/2004)