Movie Review: WINCHESTER (PG-13)
WINCHESTER tells the tale of Sarah Winchester (playing convincingly by Helen Mirren) and the infamous mansion she built (with help from construction people, of course) for years on end. She claims that her mansion is haunted by the ghosts of people who died from the Winchester rifle and is determined to turn her vast estate into a prison for the ghouls. Enter Doctor Eric Price (played well by Jason Clarke of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes), who is hired to do a phycological evaluation on Mrs.Winchester to prove whether or not she is of sound mind.
The film unfolds at a steady pace, clocking in at 99 minutes and long enough not to wear out it's welcome. One can easily predict how the story will play out. It's your standard, run of the mill haunted house thriller that breaks no new ground in the genre.The Spierig Brothers(Michael and Peter)manage to create a watchable and somewhat entertaining film that is good for passing the time. This film doesn't come anywhere close to reinventing the wheel. We've been here before and seen it at least a dozen times.
Also worth mentioning is the production design by Matthew Putland. It's beautiful, gothic and spooky enough to keep you in your bed at night with the door locked. Like that will help you any in this movie.
What sticks out like a giant pimple on a teenager is the film's overuse of jump-scares. There are too many to count. At one point, I was thinking "enough already". Also nerve-racking is the film score by Peter Spierig. It's forgettable one moment, loud and obnoxious the next. Like the jump scares.
So why should you see this? If you are in the mood for a decent Haunted House movie and have worn out your IT blue ray then WINCHESTER could be that movie for you. The Spierig Brothers have created a piece of entertainment that at the very least, gets the mood of a Haunted House right. It's dark and creepy and makes you constantly look over your shoulder, fearful enough to dread what lurks around the corner.
I give WINCHESTER a B-.
The film unfolds at a steady pace, clocking in at 99 minutes and long enough not to wear out it's welcome. One can easily predict how the story will play out. It's your standard, run of the mill haunted house thriller that breaks no new ground in the genre.The Spierig Brothers(Michael and Peter)manage to create a watchable and somewhat entertaining film that is good for passing the time. This film doesn't come anywhere close to reinventing the wheel. We've been here before and seen it at least a dozen times.Also worth mentioning is the production design by Matthew Putland. It's beautiful, gothic and spooky enough to keep you in your bed at night with the door locked. Like that will help you any in this movie.
What sticks out like a giant pimple on a teenager is the film's overuse of jump-scares. There are too many to count. At one point, I was thinking "enough already". Also nerve-racking is the film score by Peter Spierig. It's forgettable one moment, loud and obnoxious the next. Like the jump scares.
So why should you see this? If you are in the mood for a decent Haunted House movie and have worn out your IT blue ray then WINCHESTER could be that movie for you. The Spierig Brothers have created a piece of entertainment that at the very least, gets the mood of a Haunted House right. It's dark and creepy and makes you constantly look over your shoulder, fearful enough to dread what lurks around the corner.
I give WINCHESTER a B-.
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