Review: Haunted Mansion

Movies based on theme park rides have often been a hit or miss. You have Pirates of the Caribbean, which became an absolute sensation, while Tomorrowland never made the impact Disney Studios was hoping for. Then there is the 2003 version of The Haunted Mansion. Some fans of the ride love the Eddie Murphy-led film, while others say it left more to be desired. Disney has now decided to try again, but will this new version rise from the dead or stay in the ground? Especially with a summer release.

When Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and her son Travis (Chase Dillon) move into their new home, they learn they are not alone. When they try to leave, they realize these ghosts will continue to follow them. So, they enlist the help of a tour guide, a psychic, a priest, and a historian to exorcise their newly bought mansion.

This new version doesn’t solely focus on the mother and son, which is a smart decision. LaKeith Stanfield plays Ben; a physicist turned tour guide. This film focuses more on his backstory, which is truly the heart of the movie. Throughout the film, you can see the heartwrenching turmoil his character is in. Seeing Ben go from being distant and unfriendly to trusting his newfound friends is heartwarming.

Ben’s story begins when Father Kent (Owen Wilson) appears on his doorstep. He asks if been wants to become a hero. He tells Ben that a single mother desperately needs his help to rid their home of ghosts. Before Ben practically throws him out, the dollar amount for his help entices him to help. After arriving at the mansion, the two realize they can’t do this on their own. First, they need to know who may be haunting this mansion. A historian named Bruce (Danny DeVito) helps with that. Now, they need someone to communicate with the other side, so they enlist the help of a fortuneteller named Harriet (Tiffany Haddish).

This cast of characters played by comedy greats is the best part of the film. Everyone plays off each other perfectly. Danny DeVito is a master of his craft and has hilarious one-liners. But Tiffany Haddish goes toe-to-toe with him and wins the spotlight when it comes to the comedic scenes. She is fully invested in her character, from how she bulges her eyes to her hilarious background moments where she’s using sage to keep the ghosts at bay. In fact, your eyes are constantly watching the background because something hysterical is always happening.

There are some fantastic cameos in the film. Unfortunately, the latest trailers have spoiled those. I didn’t know about a few of them going into this, so it was a delight to see familiar faces on the screen. So, if you haven’t watched trailers for this and want to be surprised, stay away.

Overall, Haunted Mansion has a surprisingly good story backed by a fantastic cast. It’s not a perfect film by any means, but it is fun. Danny DeVito is hilarious had has some great lines, but he is overshadowed by Tiffany Haddish and her hysterically over-the-top performance. It’s an enjoyable movie that is just scary enough to make kids jump in their seats but not frightening enough to haunt their dreams. Some moments make you feel like you’re on the ride, but for the most part, it holds its own. Sure, there are a lot of Easter Eggs that will have you pointing to the screen like that Leonardo DiCaprio meme, but it doesn’t overdo it like other films.

The release for this is questionable. Does it need to be seen on the big screen? No. It is a fun family film, but I think the box office numbers would probably be better with an October release rather than a summer one. On;y time and money will tell.