In Tennessee in late-1817, the Bell family start hearing strange noises in their home, then scary things start happening, mostly to the father, John (Sutherland), and teen daughter Betsy (Hurd-Wood), while mother (Spacek) and older brother (Fell) look on helplessly. A local reverend (Marsh) and the schoolteacher (D'Arcy) try to help, but the entity just gets more violent and threatening, and no one knows why or what to do about it.

There's potential for a fascinating film here, but Solomon (who's two for two after the dire Dungeons & Dragons) tries far too hard to bend the events into a slick horror movie. And the result is a corny, repetitive Exorcist wannabe that feels increasingly desperate to frighten us. But there's nothing in the script that's remotely scary, so he resorts to tired and painfully annoying movie tricks like loud noises, thunderstorms, disorienting camera work (including inexplicable drifting from colour to black and white) and, most frequently, shrieking chords of music.

The cast seem almost like they're actually being haunted by a bad moviemaker, not a poltergeist. Poor Hurd-Wood is required to mope and pout and pant and writhe, and little else. D'Arcy manages to maintain his dignity even with the film's creepiest role--as a 30-year-old in love with a teenager. Sutherland and Spacek are good enough to sustain their characters, but even they seem to be merely enduring each scene.

From the very beginning we can feel Solomon straining to create something terrifying and memorable, and failing at every turn. The framing sequences are inexplicably silly (what teen girl would have a Charlize Theron in Monster poster above her bed?) and loaded with cliches (vodka-swilling mother, secrets in the attic, cracked-face doll). And it doesn't get better when we move back to the 19th century. Instead of creating real tension, Solomon just gets bigger and louder ... and unintentionally ridiculous. At least the final revelations are intriguing and revealing. But by then it's far too late.

themes, violence

19.Jan.06