Film: Haunted Mansion 
Cast: Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon, Lakeith Stanfield, Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Jamie Lee Curtis, Winona Ryder
Director: Justin Simien
Rating: 2/5
Runtime: 123 min.

The latest remake based on Disneyland’s iconic 3 minute Haunted Mansion ride, this 2 hour long horror-comedy might harken back to nostalgia driven excitement, but for those who haven’t had the good fortune of visiting the famous Children's attraction, it won’t cut much ice. Disney’s third attempt after 2003’s Eddie Murphy starrer and 2021’s fairly enjoyable Muppets Haunted Mansion, is quite a downer. It plays out like an unflattering, long-drawn advertisement for the real deal.

The storyline is simple. A woman and her son enlist a motley crew of spiritual experts to help rid their home of ghastly supernatural squatters. Screenwriter Katie Dippold does try to add some emotion into the proceedings with the central character still grieving for his beloved wife. Ben (LaKeith Stanfield), a former astrophysicist, now depressed and drinking heavily after the death of his wife Alyssa (Charity Jordan), has invented a “spectral photography” camera that can see ghosts. Father Kent (Owen Wilson), a priest who performs exorcism, approaches him to help with a current case involving a widowed doctor, Gabbie (Rosario Dawson), and her nine-year-old son Travis (Chase W. Dillon), who have moved into a decrepit haunted mansion on the outskirts of New Orleans. Ghostbusting recruits include Harriet (Tiffany Haddish), a flamboyant medium who gives psychic readings at bar-mitzvahs, and Bruce (Danny DeVito), a Tulane University professor specializing in haunted houses.