The Amityville Horror
By Scott B., Alma, MI
“The Amityville Horror” is a remake of a 1979 horror movie that wasn’t very good to begin with. I think it is sad that Hollywood has been reduced to remaking old horror films. Like the recent “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” this film is a disaster with critics but because it is making money, Hollywood will continue this trend.
The story is as simple as it gets: A family purchases a creepy house where a series of murders have taken place. The first couple of shots are cheap and unnecessarily stylish. The audience learns that a young man was driven to
kill his entire family because the house made him go insane.
The movie stars Ryan Rey-nolds, whose previous credits include National Lampoon’s “Van Wilder,” a disgusting comedy. This movie unfortunately rests on his shoulders. This is a story of gradual madness, but Rey-nolds is bland and doesn’t have the acting ability to elevate his material above what it was doomed to be: a horror remake. He shows us that his character is going insane by narrowing his eyes and raising his voice.
This is the debut film of director Andrew Douglas. His style consists of being very flashy and using a lot of cuts. The movie is very gory but not effectively so. We don’t feel creeped out by the blood but rather disgusted and annoyed by it. The ending is a huge anti-climax. No one wins in this film.
The “Amityville Horror” is supposedly based on a true story and this hurts the movie because it can’t find the right resolution. The movie tries for humor in spots but the only place you’ll find it is in Reynolds’ awful performance. I don’t recommend this movie and hope that Hollywood will raise its standards on horror remakes. .
This movie is rated R.
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