As it gets closer to Halloween, many people find themselves looking to get in the spirit of the season with the newest haunting flicks. This year, Disney+ attempted to get in on the Halloween action, releasing its newest attraction-based adventure, “Haunted Mansion.”
A reboot of the 2003 Disney movie of the same name starring Eddie Murphy, “Haunted Mansion,” came to theaters on July 28 and debuted on Disney+ earlier this month.
The movie follows the grieving astrophysicist Ben Matthias, played by LaKeith Stanfield, as he struggles to accept the death of his wife and decides to help out the mother-son duo Gabbie and Travis, played by Rosario Dawson and Chase Dillon respectively, as they claim to be haunted by ghosts.
At first, Ben is dismissive of the idea of ghosts and sees inspecting the haunted mansion merely as a way of making some extra cash. But after being followed home by a hitchhiking ghost who demands that he return to the mansion, Ben has a change of heart.
Set in New Orleans — which is often claimed to be an extremely haunted city — “Haunted Mansion,” has upbeat music, a fun setting, and a colorful cast including comedian Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Owen Wilson and Jared Leto that add to the charm of the film.
While the dialogue is a bit cheesy, I found the setup of the story to be interesting and enjoyed watching Ben grapple with realizing the existence of ghosts.
Along with the protagonists, “Haunted Mansion,” also introduced a new villain: The cruel and malicious Hatbox Ghost who lords over other residents of the mansion and ensures the deaths of all who cross his path. The ghost is in search of collecting its 1000th spirit to maximize its power.
Though I did enjoy the Hatbox Ghost’s villainy, I do believe that the movie could’ve attempted to hint at his identity earlier on as no clues were given until its revelation at the halfway point and delivered in one long sequence.
A few clues placed earlier in the run time would have kept the audience interested and also could have revealed information about the Hatbox Ghost’s motivations.
Overall, as an avid Disney fan, I thought that “Haunted Mansion,” was a charming, family-friendly movie that served as a good watch during the Halloween season.