| Overall Grade: |
C+ |
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| Story: |
A- |
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|
| Acting: |
A- |
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|
| Direction: |
D- |
|
|
| Visuals: |
D+ |
|
|
Sadly...mediocre
by K (movies profile)
Sep 28, 2007
161
of
220 people found this review helpful
Despite an interesting and relatively original tale and an esteemed group of actors, "An American Haunting" falls flat. Part of the problem is that the main character, Betsy, is more annoying than anything else and the primary "ghostly" image is laughable. Quite honestly, I don't know what they were thinking by making the ghost look more heavenly than demonic.
Another problem is that when the actual truth of the haunting unfolds, it comes off as rushed and largely inexplicable--why now, why reveal all so suddenly? Also, the way the revelation scenes play out is awkward, rather than sinister. Ultimately, the director wastes a great story and cast by relying too heavily on cheap scares rather than creating an environment of fear or terror.
Moreover, the fact that slaves appear in the film as largely content and worried about the masters' dilemma is not only ridiculously romanticized, but also it wastes an opportunity to more accurately depict the period which would have more effectively created a climate of fear, tension, and intrigue. Enslaved blacks resisted oppression at every turn and used all sorts of methods to do so--everything from out and out resistance to theft to poisoning as well as their own "root" work. If these elements were woven into the story together with some other changes, this film could have been awesome.
Instead, its mediocre at best. |
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