Welcome, foolish mortals to the newest adaptation of one of the most beloved Disney Parks attractions of all time.
Inspired by the happy haunts of Walt Disney’s “The Haunted Mansion,” the film follows a motley crew of spiritual experts to uncover the secrets behind the 999 grim grinning ghosts who lurk inside the hallowed halls of a New Orleans mansion.
From the delightful doom buggies to the famous stretching room spiel, there is not a portion of that attraction that I do not adore. It is a must-do anytime I am in the theme parks. I guess you can say I’m a “fan ghoul.”
Now, this is not the first time the dark ride has been adapted for the screen. Some of you may recall the cringeworthy adaptation twenty years ago, starring Eddie Murphy. I was a young one, but to say I was disappointed would be an understatement. And I wasn’t alone. However, as the years went on Disney offered glimmers of hope that one day a filmmaker would try again to bring the goblins and ghoulies back and give them the justice they deserved.
Rest assured Justin Simien’s 2023 adaptation is worlds better than its predecessor and exceeded my expectations. However, there is still room for improvement.
Without a doubt the film is entertaining. Die hard fans will be in their element, geeking out at the hundreds of Easter Eggs scattered throughout the film. The film feeds on your nostalgia for the ride, and it shows.
“The Haunted Mansion” boasts a committed ensemble who clearly work overtime to blend the film’s the elements of humor, horror and heart — yes, “The Haunted Mansion” has heart. Once you look past all the CGI ghosts, the narrative deals with the heartbreak and extents of grief in a very moving way.
However, the more human elements of the screenplay outweigh the rest, resulting in an uneven and overstuffed narrative full of corny jokes, chaotic chase sequences and you guessed it — Easter Eggs! The jokes seldom land and the writing also features a lot of weird product placement — like did Tiffany Haddish need to give a shout out to Yankee Candle, CVS and Costco?
Also, the third act lacks any tension and despite having a PG-13 rating for “scary action”, the scariest part of the film is Rosario Dawson’s wig.
Family-friendly horror is a tough genre to crack, so I commend Disney for giving it another go. I just wish they’d throw caution to the wind and go all out on creating “The Haunted Mansion” that emphasizes the “haunted” portion.
Plus, I can sleep better knowing that maybe in the next twenty years we’ll get another version that will be EVEN BETTER! And one that will use more Daniel Levy and Winona Ryder, am I right?
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