The Amityville Horror

I never saw the original so cannot compare them. However, I thought this was a solid horror film with a few good jump scares and a few inspired original sequences. The haunted house could have been creepier for me and didn't feel very atmospheric. A pet peeve of mine present here is how relatively intelligent people in horror movies do what they're told by supernatural agencies just because they're told to do so. Regarding performances, the mother was quite warm and believable. Ryan Reynolds the lead did pretty good for one of his first dramatic roles but unfortunately his sculpted perfect shaved physique detracted from the performance. I don't expect a building contractor to look like a male model or olympic swimming athlete. The kids were OK except the youngest one who seemed a bit fake like in those TV commercials. It's worth a rental, probably not buying unless it's cheap. Rating: 6.5 out of 10

My advice: Don't see the 1979 version first, don't think about it too hard, pretend it's not based on the "true story", and just enjoy this great horror film. It may not be a timeless classic, but its fun. The thing I liked best about this one is that everything makes sense. There's no cliffhangers or overly complicated mystery that never gets explained. It's just 89 minutes of very frightening ghosts popping up and some surprisingly appropriate acting. In fact, I would say this movie has one of the most petrifying ghost scenes ever.(The boy in the bathroom!)The costumes/makeup were really good too. Also, I loved Ryan Reynolds in a scary movie. I thought his quirky style was a perfect complement to the cast. He makes a smooth transition from Van Wilder to Blade 3 to Amityville because he seems to just be himself.

THE AMITYVILLE HORROR Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 Sound formats: Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS A young couple (Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George) are driven from their dream home by ghostly manifestations which compel Reynolds to the brink of murder. Less an examination of supernatural horror than a study of one man's descent into mental breakdown, prompted by unspecified forces within a house built on the foundations of murder and mayhem. Reynolds is quite affecting as the tormented protagonist in this beefed-up 'reimagining' of Jay Anson's bestselling book, though the slow accumulation of details doesn't build to a satisfying whole. Miles better than the 1979 version, however. Oh, and Reynolds gets this reviewer's vote as Hunk of the Year - his shirtless scenes are a highlight of the entire picture...