Return To House On Haunted Hill (2007)

I watched the first House on Haunted Hill again recently, and was positively surprised that it held up almost beyond my expectation/memories of it even to this day, even if the final special effects maybe didn't. Figured I'd see this one again too. Maybe I'd feel similarly. I remember feeling like it was just sub-par, a disappointment after the original, but...

It was.

They didn't capture the atmosphere at all. Lousy scripting. Simple special effects. An added sense of clarity or need for elaboration that sometimes goes too far and destroys the atmosphere. Focus on the grotesque to the point that it's shock value over horror. But the sensual bits... they did manage those pretty well. You can see some of the main bit above. Sex appeal though. That sells too. There's more of that than there used to be, though now in a direct and often much less classy/suitable way for a movie of the sort. And what happened to the Asian lady? Did she escape? I don't remember her getting killed at all.

I do appreciate the double ending though. I appreciate some bits here more than I remember. The filming wasn't bad, just sub-par compared to the previous. The experience just nowhere near as memorable as it was the first time around. Cliche much. Unfortunately. That's where it ends.

 rated 3/5: not bad