DVD/VIDEO: The Amityville Horror (2005)

THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (2005)

My Rating: ** ½ (out of *****)
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Melissa George, Philip Baker Hall, Jesse James, Jimmy Bennett, Chloe Moretz, Rachel Nichols, Isabel Connor
Director: Andrew Douglas

My Review:

The Amityville Horror, an MTV-generation remake of the 1979 horror film starring James Brolin and Margot Kidder, opens with the ominous claim: "Based on the true story." Notice that it says the true story, not a true story. The reality is, Amityville is based upon a series of ill-supported (and in many respects thoroughly refuted) rumors that seem to point to publicity-hungry shysters playing on people's love of all things scary in order to make a name for themselves (and a few dollars). If you can get past this dubious motivation, The Amityville Horror is actually a nifty little shot in the arm for horror fans.

The story is familiar. In the early 1970's, George DeFeo murders his entire family while they lie asleep in their beds. He tells the police that they were demons and needed to be eliminated. One year later, the unwitting Lutz family, headed by recently widowed Kathy (Melissa George, in what is easily the film's best performance) and her new husband George (Ryan Reynolds, quite convincing), move into the DeFeo estate. As with all good horror films, creepy stuff starts to happen almost as soon as the Lutzes step foot in the forbidding old Dutch Colonial.

Considering its truncated 89 minute running time, Amityville doesn't waste any time in getting to the scary stuff. This is good in some ways, because it keeps the film going on what is essentially a very thin plot. In other ways, the characters - particularly George - could have used more development before things go all Shining on us. And indeed they do. Anyone who has read Stephen King's novel or seen the movies about a man who becomes possessed by an evil place will recognize George's descent into murderous madness, Kathy's desperate attempt to keep her family together, and little Chelsea's "I see dead people" schtick. All of these elements were done better in The Shining and in various other horror classics from which this movie borrows (or steals, depending upon how you look at it). And, as might be expected from the producers of 2003's insidious Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, the gore factor is high, and certain scenes seem to thrive on being revolting just for the sake of being so. The segment with a trashy teenage babysitter who makes suggestive comments to her employers' 12-year-old son is also unnecessary and offensive.

The question at this point might be: What's to like about Amityville 2005? As mentioned, for horror fans, this is an easy sell. Brisk direction, several truly terrifying sequences, a deliciously creepy and disturbing tone, and decent performances (veteran Philip Baker Hall makes a brief but welcome appearance as an investigative minister) help to compensate for the character development problems, excessive gore, and unfair, overused, mean-spirited "evil religious leader" scenario. Moments of convincing family drama and some memorably haunting images also make the ride more enjoyable.

Taking a broad look at the film, we find some nice ruminations on the nature of evil: 1) it produces blindness in those who succumb to it, and 2) sometimes the only thing you can do with evil is run from it. On the other hand, no indication is given that there might be a power greater than evil. The family's love for one another is strong, and helps them escape with their lives, but it all feels rather hollow with yet another "evil just keeps on going" conclusion (a la The Ring, The Grudge, Darkness, Final Destination, etc.) that makes one almost long for a tidy and uplifting resolution. Alas, our franchise-hopeful makers can't allow for that, and what we are left with is a troubling, get-under-your-skin-and-stay-there horror flick that, while likely to satisfy those looking for a good scare, gets diluted by the tiresome trappings of uncreative filmmaking.

R, for moments of strong bloody horror violence, torture, and gore, disturbing images, strong language, some sexual content (including references and an interrupted marital sex scene with partial nudity), and brief drug use