Haunted Mansion Movie Review: Justin Siemen directs a star-studded cast in Haunted Mansion, the fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Pictures, the second film adaptation of the Disney theme park attraction of the same name (the original name is Haunted Mansion). In fact, the work follows, exactly ten years later, the previous film directed by Rob Minkoff starring Eddie Murphy. 

In this case, the main role is played by Lakeith Lee Stanfield, joined for the occasion by Rosario Dawson, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Jamie Lee Curtis, Winona Ryder, and the very young Chase Dillon.

Haunted Mansion Movie Story:

Ben (Lakeith Lee Stanfield), a young, tall, and charming boy, is characterized however by a deeply sad gaze, which reveals a deep desire to cry and the inability to draw comfort from his surroundings. A human being who does not live and barely survives after the loss of his beloved wife. Until a few years earlier he worked to try to “show what you can’t see” but after the mourning, he chooses to carry on the activity of his partner, i.e. ghost tours that bring together small groups of paranormal enthusiasts. 

He, on the other hand, in addition to being disillusioned with life, is also deeply skeptical of the existence of ghosts. To make him change his mind will soon be Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and his son Travis (Chase Dillon), who asks him for help because their house is haunted by 999 spirits who do not seem to have any intention of letting them go away from their home. creepy abode. The group of “ghostbusters” will then be joined by a priest (Owen Wilson), a medium (Tiffany Haddish), and a history professor (Danny DeVito).

Haunted Mansion Movie Analysis:

If the goal of Haunted Mansion is to entertain the typical Disney target audience for two hours, we can safely say that this goal is largely achieved, thanks to a mix of ingredients that make the workflow pleasant, without major moments of stasis. First of all the story: it makes you want to understand what has reduced a young boy like Ben to that state and, immediately after, find out how his life will intersect with that of the other characters in the film. 

Characters are characterized well, which amalgamate in a convincing way, further embellishing the frequent choral scenes. Above all, Lakeith Lee Stanfield shines, capable of conveying all the drama of the man he plays. Her asociality mirrors that of little Travis, with whom Ben immediately connects, creating a bond that is destined to grow over the course of the film. In general, Disney’s work presents an extended family within which no one is judged and where people who have come to terms with pain and the need to fend for themselves in the course of their lives find refuge.

And then there is another family, that of the other dimension, that of ghosts: those with a soft spot for the paranormal also have the usual curiosity to understand the history of individual spirits, to understand why some of these are remained in the intermediate dimension between this and the next world, instead of leaving “in peace”. Some stories are explored a little more, recalling more distant eras, while others remain more in the background (too bad). 

And then there is the inevitable villain, Alistair Crump (Jared Leto), with his desire to conquer the last soul he needs to complete his diabolical plan: a fascinating character, who will probably visit the nightmares of the most young at least for a while after watching the film. In short, a set of winning aspects, to which are added remarkable special effects that give life to labyrinthine scenes in which the viewer gets lost and immerses himself, also remaining in the balance between dream and reality, between this and the other world.

Haunted Mansion: evaluation and conclusion

Ultimately, with the second attempt to transform its attraction into a cinematic experience, Disney is doing much better than it did a decade ago. Written by Katie Dippold and directed by Justin Simien, the 2023 film becomes a soulful ghost story that expertly speaks to younger audiences about death, the grip of grief, and the afterlife. Dippold leaves room for a tender heart at the heart of his script, without sacrificing the horror ambitions of this show. Haunted Mansion successfully balances emotional sweetness and spooky scares with a Disneyfication of genre tropes, making it a scary movie filled with fun for (almost) the whole family.