On the Big Board |
| Position |
Staff |
In Brief |
| 148/169 |
Max Braden |
This plays out like a made for cable thriller. |
Hey, it's another PG-13 rated horror film! We're sure that this time around, it will be totally amazing and chock full of that special horror-y goodness we know and love, right?
Well, probably not. PG-13 horror hasn't had much luck lately with regard to quality. Just look at this laundry list of titles and ask yourself if any of them are burning in your memory as classics of the genre: Blood and Chocolate, Boogeyman, The Cave, The Covenant, Dark Water, Darkness Falls, The Eye, The Fog, The Messengers, One Missed Call, Pulse, The Skeleton Key, Skinwalkers, Stay Alive and When a Stranger Calls. I mean, sure, there's the occasional The Ring or The Others to come along and prove truly excellent, but for the most part, if it's rated PG-13, horror buffs shun these films.
That's not to say they perform poorly, though. Usually, these flicks are low budget affairs that can make a quick buck even if they're not profitable in theaters. And typically, they do well enough in theaters to start with.
This is surely why Lionsgate, a studio that is usually associated with extreme gore and blood, has hopped onboard the gravy train with The Haunting in Connecticut. Based on a true story, the film stars Virginia Madsen and tells the story of a family with a supernatural ordeal. When the son of the family is diagnosed with cancer, the family moves to Connecticut. However, instead of helping the young man, he is instead bothered by paranormal activity in the house. A priest is called in to help, but soon the boy takes a turn for the worse and everyone's life is...of course...in extreme danger.
Look for this film to be brilliantly marketed by Lionsgate and to attract attention from a youthful audience. And for fans of "real" horror to complain relentlessly. (Kim Hollis/BOP)
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