Supposedly grounded in truth, The Haunting in Connecticut is a decent little spooker, yet still a pic that has all the pitfalls of other notable films of its ilk. Plot for what it's worth has a family move into a new home, only to find that it has ghosts and ghoulies residing within. But why?There's good strength in the family dynamic at work here, the eldest son has cancer and is undergoing treatment. Thus he becomes the conduit for the strange happenings, and this as his parents fight impending grief and personal worries. The scares toddle along effectively, atmosphere via camera work and sound effects is perfectly efficient, and the story has enough mystery about it to carry you through to the end.Unfortunately there's a lot of daft stuff as well, I mean who in their right mind would sleep in a basement room and not force open an adjoining door to see what is in there? It's these ridiculous leaps of faith required that if you are not willing? Then they kill the movie for you. The ending also takes some believing, such is the rampant stench of Hollywood of it all.Well performed in the main (Virginia Madsen solid as a rock/Elias Koteas shining in spite of being under used), this deserves to be rated above average. But ultimately it rings hollow at times and quickly runs out of scares in the last third. 6/10

The Haunting in Connecticut, for all its similarities to classic horror films, neither succeeds nor fails. The year 2000 and subsequent years thereon have one in ten greats. Sadly this movie sits square in the middle. There's nothing new. The terminally ill youngster that's exposed to the supernatural entities that infect the families' new house is unpleasant and a big difference from the usual victims. It does comes with some shockers; a scary spirit or two, a good underlying story, an upset, broken family. The mystery room connected to the basement, where barbaric acts took place, is a horror buff's sadistic delight. Once the ticker's calmed down, the brain takes over, and realises we've been there before. The poorly teenager's link to the undead is gratifying, like The Sixth Sense, but not a route it continues on. It sticks to the frights, dwindling further and further away from its strong opening.

This movie is an average when compared to other horror movies due to a slight difference. The difference is that it is based on a true story and it is given to the viewer to decide whether to believe it or not. So if you want to get scared and think that true stories are the right factor then grab a bowl of snacks and enjoy the ride!It should also be noted that the main character of the movie is also different in that he is suffering from cancer. Usually horror movies do not deal with this sort of extra qualities in their main character. So if you're looking for an originality in this movie I have listed all that original it can get. There is nothing more to the movie if you are a horror fan.So enjoy the Cliché!

Someone decides to make a true life story ( Yeah sure it is ) horror movie about a haunted house where undead demons live and who for someone unknown reason decide to scare the crap out of a poor put upon family . I wonder how the director will approach the story ? No let me guess . Long tracking shot of house with scary music being played in the background ? EXT. DAY . Camera Pans Towards House . Scary Music Is Heard Wow such a pity lottery jackpot numbers aren't so easy to predict . The chances of ever winning the lottery jackpot are just as likely as anything seen in this story . Did anyone say this was based on true events ? Then allow me to repeat - yeah sure it is From the outset no horror cliché is left unturned and director Peter Cornwell apes the clichés to the hilt . Sharp " blink and you'll miss it " editing giving the feeling you're watching a MTV ident , murky cinematography and loud noises giving you the impression you're watching yet another mediocre horror movie that any hack director can make in his sleep .