Really enjoyed this. For once a modern Disney film that focuses on telling a good story. The cast are perfect and the story is decent enough. It may not be that scary but it keeps you watching till the end. Much better than the critics made it out to be.
The golden age of the fun filled family film from Disney is no doubt long over and this crass piece of merchandising nonsense based on another Disney theme park attraction is a joyless mess. No doubt a great film for youngsters to hide behind the sofa on Halloween night but otherwise it seems to me a lot of money has been spent on a very forgettable film. It's laborious and mostly unfunny, although admittedly some of the comedy hits the mark. Tiffany Haddish and Jamie Lee Curtis bringing some fun to the occasion. But otherwise this drags on and on into silly farce so by the time it's over you're glad and there's not even an end credit titbit to enjoy. There's rather pointless backstory that starts the film and eventually the script relies on an extended exposition from Danny DeVito to explain what the story is all about. That story is basically that a mum (Rosario Dawson) and her nine year old son (Chase Dillon) move into an old mansion which turns out to be haunted by hundreds of ghosts so she calls in a motley bunch of 'experts' led by LaKeith Stanfield to get rid of them. But of course it's not that easy. Loads of effects don't make for a good film and this is tiresome. Owen Wilson costars and Jared Leto and Winona Ryder cameo. One for the kids.