Bad Film, Nice Actresses

tif2105

Before I can begin to review the "remake" of House on Haunted Hill, we must first throw the plot, effects, and script out the window, because the movie does a pretty good job of that by itself.  The only reason (and there really isn't ANY) that you should see this film is for the performances by three lovely and talented actresses: Ali Larter, Famke Janssen, and especially Bridgette Wilson.  They make the film worthwhile, or at least the scenes that they're in.

The main reason I wanted to see this movie was because one of my favorite actresses, Bridgette Wilson, was in it and I was excited about seeing her camping it up in a horror movie like she did a few years ago in I Know What You Did Last Summer.  And sure enough, there she is, with video camera in hand as pseudo-celebrity Melissa Margaret Marr, the best dressed and biggest ego of the group.  Just when I think the movie might not be so bad with her in it, what happens?  She dies!  That's right.  Within the first forty-five minutes, Bridgette Wilson is already gone and there's nothing left but Famke Janssen, who does all she can  as Geoffrey Rush's psychotic wife before she herself too, dies, and Ali Larter, who deserves so much better than this movie and can be seen in a much better movie right now, Final Destination.  As for the scares, puh-leese.  The only frightening thing is that people still pay to see movies like this.  The cheesy original was scarier, anyway, and had more fun with its cast.  Nothing is truly scary at all, although it is a little gruesome at times.  So while I wait for Bridgette Wilson to do another horror film, I'll have to say that HOHH is one of the worst movies I have EVER seen.

score 2/10

tif2105 27 April 2000

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw0625138/