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It seems as though Hollywood may have turned a new page in horror. We finally seem to be making the transition from torture flicks and shaky found footage thrillers back to good, old-fashioned ghost stories—movies like James Wan’s Insidious and The Conjuring...or Vincenzo Natali’s Haunter.
This twisted ghost story stars Abigail Breslin as Lisa Johnson, a moody teen who finds herself stuck in a kind of Groundhog Day existence with her parents and little brother—only hers is darker...and a whole lot foggier. Every day, Lisa and her family go through the same motions—yet she’s the only one who seems to notice.
Eventually, Lisa discovers a dark secret in her family’s home—and she realizes that it’s up to her to reach out to try to save another family from danger.
Haunter isn’t the same old ghost story. It offers a clever new twist on the classic haunted house movie—one that I don’t want to discuss in too much depth, since it would ruin all the fun. Suffice it to say, though, that the story is loaded with mystery and suspense. This isn’t an intense horror film, crammed with cheap scares and overflowing with fake blood. In fact, it’s actually a bit sleepy at times. But the atmosphere is perfect. It’s dark and eerie and haunting—and while it may not have you constantly jumping out of your seat, it’ll definitely have you holding your breath, waiting to see what will happen next.
At the same time, though, it wouldn’t be quite as good without Breslin. The young actress makes the film—proving that her Oscar nomination for Little Miss Sunshine wasn’t just a fluke. The story revolves around her character—and she handles the role well. Even when Lisa is sullen and moody, she’s still charming and likable—not nearly as irritating as most of the moody teen characters of late.
Still, the film isn’t without its flaws. As the story unfolds—and as Lisa sets out to save the day—things do sometimes get a bit confusing. There’s a lot going on here—and the details are a little hazy—but, fortunately, it never gets so confusing that you’ll end up feeling completely lost.
So if you’ve had enough of the same old horror flick—of the blood and gore and predictable storylines—give this indie thriller a try. It’s an enjoyably eerie twist on the same old ghost story.
Ed. Note: Haunter is currently playing in limited release—but, if it’s not showing at a theater near you, you can also rent it through Amazon Instant Video.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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