There was a TV series a few years back called Goosebumps. It was adapted from a very successful series of books by the same name, and was basically horror stories for tweenies. It was FAR more scary, suspenseful and imaginative than this watery hokum. This film’s big selling point is that it’s a TRUE story, based on the only case in American history where the death of a man was officially attributed to a spirit. Of course this was in the early 1800s, when people were far more ready to burn women to death on the word of someone who didn’t like them. I’m struggling for things to say, as the film is that unremarkable.

An American Haunting is directed by Courtney Solomon, the genius behind Dungeons & Dragons; he’s a triple threat here, taking directing, producing and writing credits. And I mean threat in the most obvious sense. From the opening in modern times, where a woman finds her ancestor’s diary, to the twist at the end that strains for some sort of Sixth Sense wow factor, the whole thing is coma-inducing. And said twist has to be one of the finest examples of a bad director trying to be subtle.

I’m not sure what’s worse, obvious plot holes like the old-timey voiceover from the diary narrating events he wasn’t around for, or just the sheer derivative nature of the haunting itself. Everything is old hat, from the searching ghost-view shot from The Evil Dead to the young girl in her nightie writhing on a bed from The Exorcist.

Sutherland and Spacek, both alumni of the top end of this genre (Don’t look Now and Carrie, respectively) are on sleep-walking duty here. Neither ever having been that discerning when it came to choosing roles, they both look like they have one eye on the clock to see when the bank’s going to open so they can lodge that cheque.

Like a bad Canadian TV movie: An American Haunting: The John Bell Story. Watery drivel.

Rated 15A (see IFCO website for details)
An American Haunting is released on 14th April 2006.
An American Haunting – Official website