Film Review – Haunted Mansion (2023)

Two decades ago, Disney tried to bring one of their most popular theme park attractions to the big screen, but they didn’t really have a game plan when it came to the tone of the endeavor. “Haunted Mansion” didn’t work, struggling to balance a decent fear factor and comedy, with laughs gradually taking over the feature, trying to give star Eddie Murphy something to do. The company revives the brand for another go-around in “Haunted Mansion,” but this time there’s more attention paid to the attraction experience, with director Justin Simien (“Dear White People”) and screenwriter Kate Dippold (2016’s “Ghostbusters”) looking to deliver a scarier film, but still remain approachable for family audiences. The new “Haunted Mansion” is a stronger movie than the 2003 release, and while it take some hits with excessive length and dramatic overkill, it definitely understands the mood of the Disney Parks classic, reaching its potential when translating the dark ride to a cinematic event. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com