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Rating: Sometimes we are caught by surprise, unexpectedly caught by surprise. Faced with the numerous negative reviews towards debutant Peter Cornwell's film, I too expected the usual "childish" summer horror with a haunted house and "fluttering ghosts." Moreover, the phrase "based on a true story" only serves to raise expectations, expectations which are then promptly disappointed. In this negative perspective, The Haunting in Connecticut was born, the first work of the American Peter Cornwell.
The plot is not particularly original, in fact, very akin to typical modern ghost stories. Young Matt (Kyle Gallner) suffers from cancer that forces him to take long trips to reach the hospital. Thus, his mother Sara (Virginia Madsen) decides to rent a house near the hospital complex to avoid lengthy daily commutes. The therapy the boy is undergoing doesn't seem to bear positive results, and the situation subsequently worsens. The house is indeed strange...
Trying to overcome prejudices, which often arise from being a fan of the genre, this film despite a predictable plot and worn-out clichés is nonetheless a good piece of work. First and foremost, it is when considering that this film in question is the director's debut, who on his part shows a good aptitude behind the camera and skillfully placed plot twists. The main credit of the filmmaker lies in having created a film where dramatic and distressing moments are well balanced and alternate with continuous flashbacks, visions, shadows, lights, and various apparitions. In this sense, The Haunting in Connecticut is the most interesting work in the horror scene of the recent period. Even the atmosphere that pervades the entire duration of the film is based on the seeing/not seeing effect, in a crescendo of tension that culminates in sudden and fleeting presences. Sometimes everything seems predictable, but the author was still clever in using all these elements without overdoing it.
Additionally interesting is the illness/death connection that the film addresses. The sick Matt will indeed have to convince family members that what he sees is not the result of drug-induced hallucinations but rather real. On the thin line between truth and falsehood, The Haunting touches on the track of drama only to swiftly shift to "jump scare" horror and vice versa.
It's impossible to consider it a masterpiece given the typical (and now tiring) nods to great films of the genre. It remains a fact that this film represents a good product in the horror domain as far as the last two years are concerned. The screenplay is not particularly thrilling, nor is the location, the story overdone, but the naturalness and versatility with which it was put on film is admirable. The excellent performance of the young protagonist, who manages to unsettle even with his "ill" face, combined with the jumps the film generates, makes this The Haunting in Connecticut a film to be saved in the global horror chaos.
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