Haunted Mansion review: a family-friendly fright fest

Haunted Mansion is the latest entry into the Walt Disney Studios slate, and one that plenty of fans will be excited about for good reason. 

Long before the original Haunted Mansion movie was released back in 2003, fans were already queuing up to the theme park's spookiest ride, and have been doing so for the past 54 years.

So it's fitting, then, that the newest iteration of the popular haunted house was released on this anniversary, marking over five decades of foolish mortals setting foot inside the scary piece of real estate. 

Justin Simien's modern-day story takes us to New Orleans, where we follow Ben Matthias (LaKeith Stanfield), an astrophysicist turned tour guide who is grieving the loss of his wife, Alyssa.

He spends his days giving lackluster tours of "haunted" places around the city, although he openly doesn't believe in ghosts and has given up because he's never been able to speak to his late wife.

One day he is approached by a priest named Father Kent (Owen Wilson) who tells him that a local woman is willing to pay $2,000 in order for him to come and inspect her property, which she claims is haunted.

Tempted purely by the money, Ben agrees and heads to Gracey Manor where he meets Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and her son Travis (Chase W. Dillon) who have recently moved from New York and have hopes of turning the place into a bed and breakfast.

Ben is unimpressed by the manor and returns home, but is forced back after experiencing a haunting back at his apartment. He soon realizes Gabbie is not joking and that something really is going on.

With Ben forced to stay at the manor by the spirits there, he and Father Kent seek out a rather sassy medium named Harriet (Tiffany Haddish) and college historian Bruce Davis (Danny DeVito), forming a group of misfits determined to get to the bottom of this.

Haunted Mansion boasts a very good ensemble cast, with the above also being joined by Jamie Lee Curtis' wonderfully theatrical Madame Leota, a powerful medium who assists the group via a crystal ball she's been cursed to live in.

There's also our villain in Jared Leto voiced Alistair Crump, the Hatbox Ghost, a figure who originally appeared as an animatronic character in the Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland.

But, of course, we're here for much more than the cast and the movie does deliver the scares when it comes to its group of ghostly residents. There are certainly a few moments that will take you by surprise, even if it is in the comical sense.

The movie is further elevated by its brilliant score by Kris Bowers which combines the spooky atmosphere with iconic New Orleans jazz and the result is a toe-tapping good time. 

Fans of the ride will be pleased to know that it has two versions of Grim Grinning Ghosts among its soundtrack, a song that has become famous at the attraction. So it really does feel like a love letter to devoted Disney fans.

Therein lies the problem, however, as newcomers or casual Disney fans may not get the full Haunted Mansion experience as the movie does reference a lot from the ride itself, so certain things could go over people's heads.

It's also predictable in places and even scenes that are tearjerkers (yes, I did cry!) might not pack the intended punch as you can see it coming a mile off. Nevertheless, it's very heartwarming.

Grief is a big theme in the movie and it does it well, even in a horror market that is saturated with stories of trauma, grief, and despair. It doesn't do anything groundbreaking, but it probably wasn't trying to. 

Overall Haunted Mansion is a great option for those wanting to wean their children onto horror movies, as it's got all the spooky vibes without scaring them enough to sleep with the lights on. Consider it an entry-level horror!

But beyond that, it is a fun nostalgia trip for Disney park fans which will leave people wanting to hop back into their Doom Buggies and put the peddle to the metal. 

I, for one, am very excited to enter the Haunted Mansion again one day soon...

Haunted Mansion is playing in cinemas worldwide from Friday, August 11.