The theme of haunted old houses has remained popular in global culture since the days of 18th-century horror novels. Even Disneyland has a Haunted Mansion, designed with Victorian-era imagery. Visitors can expect eerie portraits with unusually lifelike eyes, animatronic ghosts that suddenly appear from the darkness, a medium trapped in a crystal ball, and, of course, the main attraction: the mansion’s terrifying owner, a shadow in a wide cloak holding his glowing head in a box.
Twenty years ago, Walt Disney Pictures attempted to visualize the attraction in a film. The 2003 horror-comedy directed by Rob Minkoff recouped its substantial $125 million budget but was panned by critics. Reviewers criticized the lifeless plot and lack of good jokes, despite Eddie Murphy’s efforts to amuse the audience. The creators of the new version took these shortcomings into account and radically reworked the script, adding numerous allusions to other films in a postmodern spirit.
Danny DeVito as Bruce in a still from “Haunted Mansion”
A New Beginning Turns Spooky
Single mother Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and her eight-year-old son Travis (Chase W. Dillon) move into an old mansion in Louisiana, hoping to start a new life. However, the house isn’t happy to see uninvited guests. Ghosts attack the residents on their first night. To exorcise the spirits, Gabbie invites Ben Matthias (LaKeith Stanfield), a former physicist turned tour guide, Father Kent (Owen Wilson), medium Harriet (Tiffany Haddish), and university professor Bruce Davis, author of a book on Victorian mansions (Danny DeVito). This motley crew tries to banish the spirits, especially the main ghost, a sinister old man in a top hat with a glowing head in a box (Jared Leto).
The ghost in a top hat, searching for his head to escape the mansion and spread terror in the city, is reminiscent of both the Headless Horseman and Beetlejuice. While waiting for the sequel to Tim Burton’s cult film, viewers can enjoy a cameo by Winona Ryder as a guide. The lady in gothic attire gives a tour of a Victorian-era castle, whose connection to the ghosts of Gabbie and her son Travis’s house will be revealed closer to the finale. Justin Simien’s film boasts a stellar cast: LaKeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, and scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis.
Star-Studded Cast and Horror Allusions
Academy Award winner Jared Leto grotesquely portrays the main villain. According to the filmmakers, the character was a mass murderer in life, like Elizabeth Bathory or Darya Saltykova, whose victims included both servants and members of high society. Crump hid the bodies in the basement under the fireplace, an allusion to Hugh Crain’s crimes from Jan de Bont’s “The Haunting.”
Rosario Dawson as Gabbie in a still from “Haunted Mansion”
In terms of references to other films, Justin Simien’s film, from the director of the horror “Bad Hair”, can compete with last year’s family horror “The Curse of Bridge Hollow.” But while Jeff Wadlow’s film centers on the happy family of biology teacher Howard Gordon, who encounters paranormal phenomena in a small town on Halloween night, the main characters of “Haunted Mansion” can’t boast a successful personal life.
Personal Struggles and Supernatural Threats
Gabbie, the new owner of the mansion, is forced to raise her son Travis alone. The boy, in turn, longs for his father and can’t find friends at school. Former physicist Ben Matthias lost his wife in a car accident and still suffers from grief. Their difficult psychological state (it’s no wonder Travis and Ben immediately found common ground) attracts the ghost in the top hat, who needs another soul to escape the mansion, where he is trapped as if in prison.
Owen Wilson as Kent in a still from “Haunted Mansion”
The psychological complexities of the main characters will surely appeal to an adult audience, which may tire of the endless scenes with suddenly appearing ghosts. Since this is a family horror, it can be assumed in advance that all the numerous characters will remain alive and well. Children are too young to watch bloody murders, so ghostly monsters can only scare with unexpected appearances in the dimly lit rooms of the old house.
A Blend of Horror and Comedy
Within the narrow framework of family horror, Justin Simien managed to create an interesting example of the genre. On the one hand, viewers are amused by numerous references to other films in the style of “guess where this scene is from,” and on the other hand, they are drawn into empathy for the characters through dramatic conflicts. It’s not easy for Travis and Ben to resist the temptation to meet their loved ones in the afterlife. The director successfully combines standard horror jumpscares with psychological tension.
Rosario Dawson as Gabbie in a still from “Haunted Mansion”
What family horror is complete without a moral message? In “Haunted Mansion,” the director clearly shows that only together, overcoming numerous disagreements, can the characters win in the unequal battle with the ghost in the top hat and his army of spirits. It’s no coincidence that the theme of superheroes runs through the film. The eccentric Father Kent speaks of courage, motivating Ben to join the team; Ben Matthias himself tells Gabbie’s son about a superhero from his youth, a certain man with a slipper. Finally, the history professor with a bad heart, ready to die at any moment (Danny DeVito simply revels in this comic role), is also a hero in his own way. After all, despite his age, he is simply obsessed with haunted houses and is always eager to help new friends, although sometimes his intrusive participation only hinders.
Justin Simien managed to walk the fine line between horror and comedy, which Rob Minkoff failed to do in the previous version of “Haunted Mansion.” His film both amuses and scares (although the screamers will only seem scary to children), and also popularizes old truths about courage and mutual assistance with examples of superheroes that are understandable to a wide audience. According to Simien, anyone can become a superhero who overcomes their fear and finds the strength to fight overwhelming circumstances. It’s hard to disagree with this moral conclusion of the director.are