999 Ghosts Await in ‘Haunted Mansion 2023’
Film Review: Haunted Mansion 2023
Most Disneyland fans have a favorite ride and more often than not it’s Haunted Mansion. There are so many iconic moments in the ride like the stretching room, the black carriages, the birthday scene that smells of gingerbread, and the bride portraits that glow in the attic. Disney released Haunted Mansion earlier this year and recently announced the digital version release. Read on for a review of the Haunted Mansion (2023) streaming on Disney Plus.
The studio provided a copy for review however all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for items purchased.
In the past Disney has released movies based on rides that are actually quite funny like Pirates of the Caribbean and The Jungle Cruise. It feels like these movies worked because the cast had chemistry and the movies didn’t take themselves seriously. Haunted Mansion starring Eddie Murphy wasn’t funny or interesting so I expected this one to be better.
2023 Haunted Mansion stars Rosario Dawson plays Gabbie, a single mom with an awful wig, who moves to the Gracie Manor in New Orleans for a fresh start. Gabbie, her son, and astrophysicist Ben (LaKeith Stanfield) find themselves trapped in the mansion with 999 ghosts.
The twist in the film is that the ghosts are not necessarily haunting the newcomers. The Gracie Mansion ghosts are running from an even scarier ghost, one that needs one more soul to keep everyone trapped in the mansion forever.
LaKeith Stanfield is easily the best part of Haunted Mansion. He is convincing in his role as Ben, a widower who feels a deep longing to see his wife again. Rounding out the cast is Danny Devito as a prickly professor, Tiffany Haddish as an overconfident psychic, and Owen Wilson as a fake priest.
Sure, there are a few laughs but the script is tired and even some of the best Easter eggs can’t save this film. Viewers will recognize the stretching room, the dueling ghosts, the axe-wielding bride, and even a wink to the black carriages that transport visitors throughout the mansion. The majority of the cast interacts with CGI and the set is an identical match to the famous Disneyland ride, but the film itself doesn’t feel appropriately spooky or even funny.
Ultimately, Haunted Mansion is about grief mixed with a few laughs and I particularly enjoyed how the Hat Box Ghost was designed but it feels like this version of Haunted Mansion was a missed opportunity to create an atmospheric film. Kids will enjoy some of the gags and the physical comedy but adults may be checking their watches waiting for the ending.
Haunted Mansion arrives at all major digital retailers including Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu/Fandango on October 4 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on October 17. Fans can add the film to their collection and access exclusive never-before-seen bonus features including deleted scenes, extended gag reel and exclusive featurettes.
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️
This article was originally posted on https://chasingpixies.com/movie-review-haunted-mansion-2023/
