Movie Review: ‘Haunted Mansion’

Review by James Lindorf

The Haunted Mansion opened its doors in Disneyland 54 years ago. During that time, it has welcomed millions of guests. The ride was so popular it spawned two other haunted homes, one across the country in the Magic Kingdom and the other in Tokyo. The beloved ride was adapted for the big screen in 2003 with film and comedy legend Eddie Murphy in the lead role. Unfortunately, while the film was a financial success, doubling its budget, it bombed with critics and fans alike. After 20 years, on July 28th, Walt Disney Pictures finally invited audiences worldwide back to the “Haunted Mansion.”

Eddie Murphy is out, and Rosario Dawson is in as single mother Gabbie. In need of a fresh start, Gabbie has relocated to Louisiana with her son Travis (Chase Dillon) with dreams of opening a bed and breakfast. When things go bump in the night on their first day, the pair try to flee, but the power of the mansion reaches far beyond its walls. To free themselves from the haunting, Gabbie enlists the help of Kent (Owen Wilson), a questionable priest, broken-hearted paranormal investigator Ben (LaKeith Stanfield), psychic Harriet (Tiffany Haddish), and professor and local historian Bruce (Danny DeVito). The team learns that while all ghosts are troubled, not all are dangerous. Together they will have to solve the mystery of who is terrorizing them and the friendly spirits that inhabitant the mansion.

Advertising and the official synopsis released for the film would lead you to believe that this is Rosario Dawson’s film when Stanfield’s Ben is at the center of the story. He is the first one we meet in the prologue, and his emotional journey gives the film its heart. Stanfield also stands head and shoulders above the rest of the cast in the quality of his performance. He is the only one playing a role that doesn’t feel stereotypical of the actor’s former roles. DeVito, Haddish, and Wilson are precisely what one would expect them to be. The same goes for Dawson, but her typical performance is either more caring or badass and less wacky, which helps her stand out while the other three are hamming it up. Depending on your mood or your sense of humor, their slapstick style of comedy will make or break the movie for audience goers.

If you blanche at the jokes more than the specter of evil, it should be no surprise that “Haunted Mansion” writer Katie Dippold has a history of writing controversial comedies. While often profitable, most of her movies like “The Heat,” “Snatched,” and 2016’s “Ghostbusters” have left audiences divided. Her films typically center on a strong female character, and perhaps putting more emphasis on Ben may be her trying to show studios she can write from any POV. While she may be evolving in her character development, she has failed to show any growth in her comedic styling. It often feels forced and an overreaction to other elements in the film. Horror and comedy have gone together since the beginning. It is hard on the filmmakers, and audiences would risk an adrenaline crash after 90+ minutes of nonstop tension or horror. Jokes work as a way to let off some of the steam and reset you for the next scare. However, for the film to feel balanced, the two must work in concert. The darker the film, the more off the charts a joke may need to be too easy the tension. The level of horror in “Haunted Mansion” is the equivalent of waiting for a test you feel you might have bombed, and the comedy may as well have had rim shots and Benny Hill music over it.

Overall “Haunted Mansion” is a great-looking film, with solid cinematography, great set and costume design, and some fantastic ghost designs, even if the CGI on them is a bit uneven. With its hints of horror in a light-hearted package, “Haunted Mansion” is the perfect introduction to scary movies for families with teens, tweens, or particularly mature 10-year-olds. The horror and the humor will most likely underwhelm adults. Still, the incredible cast and their chemistry can sustain the 122-minute runtime. While the 2023 version improves on what was done 20 years ago, it is still a fixer-upper with a 3.5 out of 5 score.

Rating: PG-13
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy
Original Language: English
Director: Justin Simien
Producer: Dan Lin, Jonathan Eirich
Writer: Katie Dippold
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 28, 2023 Wide
Runtime: 2h 2m
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures