The Haunted Mansion (Widescreen Edition)

1 IT WAS OKAY
I THOUGHT IT WAS AN OKAY FILM. I JUST THINK EDDIE MURPHY COULD HAVE DONE BETTER, IN BEING HOW FUNNY HE IS. I WOULDN'T BUY THE MOVIE. I RECOMMEND THAT YOU WATCH IT FIRST AND SEE HOW YOU FEEL...

2 The Haunted Mansion. . .
I own this DVD and i have to say that it is quite enjoyable for me, my friends and family. Everyone i watch it with seems to enjoy this movie, which is great. I think this is a terrific movie for a family to sit down and watch together.

What i really love about this movie is the settings, or, where it takes place, which is at the "Haunted Mansion". The detail they added to make this movie is fantastic. I think it can get a bit boaring after a while (you know what is going to happen) But other than that, a fantastic film for the entire family to watch!

I recomend that you buy this movie. It is a great DVD to own!

3 Fun and Haunting Adventure!
Unlike most of the people who watched this film,I really enjoyed it! I was entertained from start to finish, I loved the plot and the dark vibe that you feel as you're watching it. It's a very clever and funny story about a man who is always working at his business.

One day, his wife gets a phone call to come and visit a mansion that they want to be sold. For some odd reason, the people who live in this mansion only wants her to come, not her husband. Of course, this mansion is The Haunted Mansion. The whole family makes a stop at the mansion, just to check it out. Unfortunately, the rain causes them to have to stay all night. This starts the fun and eciting adventure through The Haunted Mansion.

It features a wonderful story that makes perfect sense, and it also features adventures. Take an exciting ride through The Haunted Mansion with this family and all of the creepy people who live inside the mansion!

4 DISNEY IS AT IT AGAIN
That's right another movie based after a ride, this is the weaker of the two. Not to say the film dosn't have its moments, in fact it is pretty entertaining. Of course it isn't a classic by far. The film was scripted by David Berenbaum to what I guess was his best, I feel the film could have used a much better script. But of couse that can't rely solely on the writer to make this film good. Producers Don Hahn, and Andrew Gunn could have lent a hand at making it all it can be, of course it's not fair to lay it all on them either. The directer is suppossed to bring every thing to the big screen, that role fell apon Rob Minkoff. It seems that this film could have used a little more push on his part. This is apaint since the falt of this film was definintly not the special effects, Sony Pictures did a great job in that department. Now don't get me wrong I think all the stated above did good jobs, I just think it could have been better.

As far as acting goes Eddie Murphy does what he can with the script, in fact it is his timing and facial exprestions that make the film good, and as far as supporting roles go, everybody at the house does n excellent job. It is his family members that I think fell a little below in that department.

All in all this is a decent flick, and worth your time at least once, I pearsonally could watch it numorous times for the singing heads.

5 Rent don't buy...
This movie is good for a one time watching, yet it is not good enough to own.

The plot Murphy sells houses and goes to a house on the way to a vacation. When his family enters they are trapped and have to fight ghosts (with a few laughs nothing like a belly laugh) to get rid of the curse and get out of the mansion. There really is no more of a plot than that. It is not the worse movie I have seen but it is also not the best...it is not a comedy as it is portrayed it seems more like just a nice, clean movie to watch.

My recommendation rent not buy this movie.

6 A lot of sex jokes when you think about it...
like when he says wack the spider to the kid & he says I dont wanna wack it, & when Eddie Murphy says Thats a nice pair of knockers on that door!!! Any way, just thought I'd point those out for you, and it is a good movie.

7 Uninspired...
...or so it looks. Actually more a 3/6 than a 2/5 I guess, but the movie at its' best is ok. And I'm a big fan of fantasy-movies, and of Eddie Murphy. But even for a childrens' movie the story and plot is very thin, not to mention used as in "old" and "seen it before".

The haunted mansion looks good though, the place has potential - and perhaps that is what makes the movie watchable.

Eddie Murphy has never tried to cover up for making some of his later movies only for the profit, his heart isn't in it anymore it seems. The best "resent" movies are Nutty Professor 1 & 2 in my opinion, other than that (and Shrek 1 & 2 of course) he has wasted a lot of his talent making B-movies far below his league, a shame really.

Hoping for a comeback soon!

Rent first, do not risk your money buying here...

8 Disappointing
It seemed a clever idea for Disney to turn its non-film-based attractions into movies. While the Country Bear Jamboree was a dud, Pirates of the Caribbean was a delight. Like the film that materialized from the former, The Haunted Mansion is a meagre fantasy that will undoubtedly be forgotten and turn to dust.

Eddie Murphy plays real estate agent Jim Evers, who neglects his familial duties to close deals. During a family outing with his wife Sara (Marsha Thomason), timid son, and no-nonsense daughter, Evers stops to have a look at a "historical sprawling manor with spacious grounds" that he hopes to represent. When it begins to rain, they are invited to spend the night by its owner Gracey (Nathaniel Parker) and manservant Ramsley (Terence Stamp). It comes as no surprise that the occupants turn out to be ghosts, and even a headless corpse can figure out that Sara was lured to the mansion because she resembles Gracey's lost love.

In keeping with the ride at Disneyland/world, The Haunted Mansion is not intended to be scary but more like a fun-house, and includes familiar images from the attraction such as singing busts, waltzing apparitions, and the crystal ball-encapsulated gypsy seer (Meg Tilly). Directed by Rob Minkoff (Stuart Little), the story is slow to evolve and lacks tension or surprise. Most of this is due to a predictable script that doesn't offer a single original plot development. And the film can hardly be considered a comedy because there's nothing funny; even the line "I see dead people" falls flat, when delivered matter-of-factly by the smug son.

Although the art direction is superb, the audience barely gets to see the eerie Louisiana bayou, elaborate interiors, and shimmering ghosts. Instead, we are treated to the stares of bug-eyed Murphy and expressionless Stamp. Being in purgatory would be far more entertaining. Rating: 4 out of 10.

9 Very good movie, but not Eddie Murphy's best.
I personally enjoyed Haunted Mansion and thought it wa very good. My kids beg to differ. They loved it. Eddie Murphy plays Jerry, a workaholic real estate agent who interrupts his family's vacation to check out a remote mansion that's for sale. But soon he and his family are trapped in the haunted house and are screaming for their lives. [...]

10 Where do I begin...
Remember this movie people...For it marks the final nail in the coffin of Eddie Murphy's once proud career. A career which saw him fall from the heights of Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop to the lowly depths of the done-to-death workaholic father, Jim Evers.

I can honestly say without a hint of exaggeration that this is by a sizable margin, the worst film I have ever seen in my life.

The fact that this drivel was aimed at children is of no consequence, it should never have been allowed to come into existence. I can only imagine what mind bending drugs Eddy Murphy was on when he decided it would be a positive career move to appear in this poorly written, poorly directed, poorly performed cheese-fest.

The words clichŽ, predictable & tiresome don't even begin to describe my thoughts as I shook my head again and again at the droll that was being thrust into my brain.

Throughout the rather originally titled 'Haunted Mansion' I was quite frankly embarrassed to have sat witness to a storyline and character base so mind numbingly tragic.

It is evident that Director Rob Minkoff felt that once he had gotten Eddy Murphy to sign on the dotted line, all he had to do was churn out more tried and tested Hollywood pap and wait for payday.

Let me summarise: Workaholic and his kids arrive at a haunted house, surprisingly, some "scary" stuff happens and then everybody learns a valuable lesson... oh, and at the risk of spoiling the intricately woven plot... the Butler did it.

Everybody involved in this movie should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves... and I mean everybody.

11 I want 90 minutes of my life back
I'm sure I'll be vilified for this, as I was for my review of most of the Eddie Murphy movies, but here goes: "The Haunted Mansion" is the cinematic equivalent of eating a Twinkie. Sure, it may taste kind of good initially, but it leaves an aftertaste that's not quite right, and in the end you know it's done you more harm than good.

I won't summarize the plot or characters here, because the other reviewers here do that very well, and also because the plot and the characters are something you've seen a hundred times before in far better movies. Instead, I'll tell you whether I thought the movie was good or bad, and why.

If all you're looking for is a mildly pleasant, unchallenging way to kill a couple of hours, you'll love "The Haunted Mansion", or another Eddie Murphy movie (for lack of a better word) like "Shrek 2". But to me, "The Haunted Mansion" represents everything that's wrong with America today. People don't want originality, they don't want "real" humor, they don't want a movie with heart or depth, they don't want a movie that tries to say something. People want to be told what to like; cool-in-1977 characters to the painfully ankle-grabbing politically correct ending.

But the unoriginality of "The Haunted Mansion" isn't what annoys me. Most movies are derivative and unoriginal. What gets me is how smug "The Haunted Mansion" is in its trite, wannabe-cool, faux-"attitude." There isn't a single second of this movie that I haven't seen before elsewhere. To sum it up: "The Haunted Mansion" is a watched a bunch of kids' movies, chewed them all up, and spit them out once all the flavor was gone.

If you're a "Harry Potter" fan (as I am), just understand that "The Haunted Mansion" is trying to be better than the "Harry Potter" movies. I can picture right now the corporate boardroom where "The Haunted Mansion" was dreamwed up: "No no no! This needs more attitude! ATTITUDE!" "Eddie should be a surfer!" "Rasta-fy Murphy by 10 percent or so!" Don't forget to mock Disney some more!"

Clearly, if there weren't so much hype and groveling, boot-licking admiration for this tired retread of warmed-over cliches calling itself a movie, I might not despise it as I do. The one bright spot in this morass is Jennifer Tilly as Madame Leota. Tily's naturaly energy and charm make her scenes watchable; she's not dragged down by the material surrounding him.

I'm sure many of you would wanna see "Shreks 1, 3D, 2 and 3". Please don't get mad at me for telling you their plots and endings right now. I just want to tell you that amongst all Eddie Murphy movies, this one is the worst. Buy the "Shrek" movies, "Daddy Day Care" or the "Dr. Dolittle" movies, if you wanna know what's better than this if you're and Eddie Murphy fan. Don't get this movie on DVD, if you haven't seen it. IT SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, don't get mad at me for revealing these future plot twists. I'm sure you'll love Eddie Murphy, anyway.

12 A sorry sequel to Pirates
Like as not, Disney will be quite happy to let the knowledge of this movie slip quickly away into oblivion once it has raked in the profits from the DVD sales.

Yep, Haunted Mansion is a sorry sequel after the so successful and effective Pirates of the Carribean. The beginning of Mansion, though intriguing enough, never really gets rolling, and thirty minutes into the film, one finds oneself still waiting for things to begin. In lieu of fun, spooky action is a rather onerous and rather thread-bare story suffocated by its own moaning and/or existentialist elements.

Comedy, which might have raised the film out of its own limbo, isn't entirely lacking but also isn't transcendent: Consider the potential for funny as our hero, Sam Evers (Murphy), receives words of wisdom from a ghost-head suspended in a crystal ball sitting shotgun in Evers' sedan. The Disney version of comedy al Murphy, perhaps watered down for a children's audience, lacks that salt for which Murphy is so well known. Murphy acts as though someone has tied one hand, and possibly also one foot, behind his back, which makes the viewer want to cry out, "Lose the shackles and the inhibitions, man, and do what you do best, just without the expletives and the digestion jokes!"

The lovely Sara Evers, challenged - unlike the other actors - with not one, but two, hokey roles, is not quite able to fill the bill in either the 18th or the 21st centuries. Once again, the viewer is left feeling starved of the strong emotion and feeling her performance should, but does not, convey.

Strength of emotion is, however, not wanting in Nathaniel Parker's portrayal of Master Gracey, though this should not be considered an asset, by any means. Though Parker is in fact a convincing, talented actor, you wouldn't know it here, for his monotonously maudlin presence becomes increasingly stagey as the film drones on to its eye-catching, though essentially embarrassing, end.

What really breaks this film is the fact that Disney is not able to create a storyline which synthesizes the very serious themes of death, loss, and racism while looking at life through those much-loved, rose-colored Mickey-Mouse glasses. There are certainly "family entertainment films" which discuss tough subjects in a riveting, insightful way, but the Haunted Mansion is not one of them.

The upshot is a climax to the hereinafter which will definitely not leave you wanting; in fact, you won't ever want again, except perhaps to leave the theater immediately if not sooner.

If your child has difficulties with the issue of death, this is NOT the film to play at your next big Halloween party - unless of course you really want to scare your guests into thinking your head is haunted.

13 Funny
Eddie is was perfect for this movie. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and it just a great family movie. It was funny and I am glad Eddie did this movie because this was a perfect role for him.

14 bland, halfhearted throwaway for Murphy
"The Haunted Mansion," a film "inspired" by the Disney theme-park attraction of the same name, feels like a cross between "The Haunting" and "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken." Eddie Murphy is a real estate agent working in tandem with his wife, Marsha Thomason. One day she receives a call from a mysterious stranger asking her to check out some property he wants to put up for sale. Even though the caller specifically asks that she come alone, Murphy decides to go along with her, bringing their two young children as well. When they arrive on the scene, the family finds a mansion replete with all the paraphernalia common to a conventional haunted house - sliding panels, hidden passageways, a graveyard in the backyard, an eccentric owner, a creepy butler (played with delicious relish by Terence Stamp) and, of course, a houseful of unruly and unsettled resident ghosts. Once ensconced inside, the family discovers - much like homeowners in a buyer's market - that it's always easier to get into a haunted house than it is to get out of one.

Murphy assumes the Bob Hope role of the comical skeptic who meets each and every danger with a defiant wisecrack and clever quip. Unfortunately, even Murphy, for all his talent, can't rescue material that doesn't have anything much there to begin with. The story is predictable and silly and the dialogue woefully bereft of laughs. There's also one glaring plot hole that should not go unremarked upon. Thomason is supposed to be a (pardon the pun) dead-ringer for a woman who killed herself a hundred and fifty years ago, yet there is no way that, in the context of that time, that woman could ever possibly have been black. Colorblindness is generally a good thing, but in this instance, it strikes at the very core of the story's internal credibility. The film's visual imagery does indeed derive from the Disney attraction - statues whose eyes follow people around the room, dancing transparent ghosts, singing disembodied heads - but there's a world of difference between a 5-minute amusement-park ride and an 85-minute full-length feature film. Before green-lighting the project, didn't any of the executives over at Disney ask if anyone had come up with a movie worth making? Given the results we see on screen, the answer is "apparently not."

There's no point here in launching into our perpetual lament over the downward spiral that Eddie Murphy's career continues to take. After all, if he isn't worried about the squandering of his once notable talent, why should we be? Life is just too short for that.

15 Finally some improvement in Disney products.
This is the first family friendly Disney movie that I have seen in quite a while. This movie is about a real family with a father, mother, sister and brother. They seem to be a very functional family at the start of the movie, they work together to solve a problem and they aren't seperated at the end of the movie. Too many movies leave out one of the parents or the family is disfunctional. This movie is a nice exception.

16 The Disney Ride Comes to the Cinema
'The Haunted Mansion' tells the story of a real estate broker named Jim Evers (played by Eddie Murphy) as he and his family spend one frightful night in a mansion that is more than it seems. Jim's wife, (Sara--played by Marsha Thomason) and business partner, has been invited to the mansion by the "Master's" Butler, Ramsley (played by Terrance Stampe). Sara is about to refuse, as she and the family are on their way to a family vacation, but Jim insists they check it out based on the motivation of a possible large commission for selling the mansion. Not long after they arrive, the spooks start to come out, and Jim has to rescue his family from the ghouls and specters of the mansion.

In the last couple of years, Disney began developing projects based off of franchises it already owned. This movement yeilded 'Pirates of the Carribean' and 'The Country Bears.' Now it has given us 'The Haunted Mansion.' While 'Pirates' is the best of the bunch, 'Bears' is probably the worst. 'The Haunted Mansion is somewhere in between.

The movie is based off the ride, and manages to capture the feel of the ride fairly well. Many of the props from the attraction have made their way into the movie including the graveyard and the gypsy fortune teller. While it is good to see all these things, some of them seem a bit unnecessary. A few were thrown in for no real reason at all other than to just include them. Their inclusion would have been better if they somehow contributed to the sory more.

While Eddie Murphy was good as Jim Evers, the real stars, in my opinion, were Terence Stamp and Jennifer Tilly. Stamp played a particularly ghoulish and fiendish Butler Ramsley. It took me a while to realize he was the same guy that playec Chancellor Valorum from Star Wars: Episode One. He had not only the butler role down, he did an amazing job making him creepy. Tilly plays Madame Leota, the lady of the crystal ball. The look and attitude she gave to the role were dead on. Shawn Wallace, the underrated character actor, also plays a servant in the movie.

DVD fans will be pleased with the extras. There is a virtual tour of the mansion, which is okay at best. It gives the viewer a chance to look at the set a bit closer with better lighting, but the acting in it is just silly. Maybe kids would enjoy it. The real gem of the special features is the featurette for the making of the graveyard scene. The ingenuity behind the scene is laid out in great detail, and it was fun to watch. Other features include a general making of segment, an outtake reel, and a video.

I'd recommend this movie to fans of the ride and to families in general. Its not uproarously funny, but it is entertaining. Parents should be careful, there are a few scenes that might frighten smaller children (there are some zombies that look a little too good, and a scene in a mirror where Murphy appears decayedd). Don't set your expectations too high, and you should enjoy this movie.

17 Scary...but in a kids eyes....:)
This film was really cute...it had some really high action scenes at times, and it was something that the kids could get through. Eddie Murphy and cast did a really good job in portraying the characters that they were in this film. I found Eddie's character to be a bit on the sarcastic side at times, but when the film was over, he realized that his family meant more than the way that his career and what others thought of him...although this was geared towards being a "scary" film the director made a great attempt at using the ghosts in the film as a way of helping Eddie's character to realize what the word and the presence of family meant!!! Good Film!!!

18 Rent Casper instead...
Here goes Disney again with another "Ride-inspired" movie...
First the positive: The special effects were very good, the intro was fantastic, and if I were 12 or 13 I probably really would have liked this movie. I also love to see African-American families starring in films without the need for a white counterpart. This is a great family type film, with some good values, but it may be a bit scary for young kids due to great skeletons and several suicide/death scenes.
Now the bad: This movie was surprisingly slow. I felt it drag... often. The plot has been done so many times that I don't think the writers even woke up to write the script. The characters were all very shallowly portrayed- although the Butler was decent and the Crystal Ball was entertaining. (And my dad who nearly killed us for making him watch this, loved the singing statues.)
Does anyone else find Eddie Murphy amazingly annoying? I don't think he can be anyone other than the Donkey from Shrek anymore. The whole movie I wanted to punch him in the face. And the actress who played his wife was awful. The kids were decent though.

So my advice? Its a well done albeit lame movie. Rent it as a family flick, but don't watch it too late at night as it might scare young children.

19 Scary for Kids, Silly for Adults
I watched this film because one of my favorite rides of all time is Disney's "Haunted Mansion." I have to say the only reason I really enjoyed this film was for the special effects and memories of all those old spooky ghosts from the original ride at Disneyland.

Eddie Murphy plays an overly ambitious real estate agent who ends up at the mansion with his family trying to strike up a deal with a few ghosts. The story is horribly hokey! The acting is silly and filled with typical Murphy antics: silly laughing and funny smiles.

The best part of this movie is the special effects and the graveyard scenes. I found the movie to be a bit scary for children as some of the zombies are very "real" looking. For adults it is an evening of silly fun but sadly for young children they might spend their evening with nightmares instead of giggles!

20 could work for kids
To start off, yeah, it's nowhere near as fun as "Pirates of the Carribean", and much of it comes off like a too-long episode of "Scooby Doo". Still "Mansion" is a lot of fun. The plot? Essentially lifted from years worth of lore about the Disney ride (little if any of it actually created by Disney), a broken hearted southern gentleman commits suicide when his "true love" apparently does the same. About a century later, the ghosts of the suicide, the butler (Terence Stamp) and some other household guy (played by Wallace Shawn) are trapped in his mansion. The titular house itself is practically buried by the Louisiana bayou and, in the tradition of haunted houses, under tons of cobwebs. Instead of a van of meddling kids, the Mansion plays host to Jim Evers (Eddie Murphy) and his lovely wife Sara. Murphy's character is a work-a-holic real estate agent who manages to snag every customer in the southeast, while neglecting his family. Luckily (?) Sara is the spitting image of Elizabeth, the lost love of the mansion's owner. Invited to tour the mansion with the idea of selling it, and faster than you can say "I see dead people", Murphy and crew find themselves trapped in it by its spectral residents. With the help of Shawn's ghost and also a crystal ball containing the disembodied head of Madam Leota (Jennifer Tilly in a role that also originated with the ride), Evers and family plumb the mysterious environs of the mansion for a way to save Sara and escape.

This was a light movie that completely slips out of your head like a ghost five minutes after it's over. Murphy doesn't get as much mileage out of his mugging persona as he has in movies like the "Cop" series or as in "Golden Child" - but he still does a good job with the kind of movie role that even Bill Cosby couldn't grasp (check out "Ghost Dad" and prove me wrong). As for kids - my 7 & 4 year olds loved it. There was a possibly risky scene with Murphy and his character's daughter trapped in a crypt with an army of skeletal zombies, and the fiery climax of the movie unleashes a fiery demon, but most of the flick treats the spectral world with the same lightness as the ride had.

21 REAL GOOD!
GOOD,SCARY,AND FUNNY!MY WHOLE FAMILY LAUGED AT ALMOST EVERY SEEN!I KNEW IT WOULD BE FUNNY THOUGE BECAUSE IT HAD EDDIE MURPHY!SO,IT`S A GREAT MOVIE!

22 Haunted, rather Lovelorn.
Where to start? How about it is featuring Eddie Murphy, and someone else whose name I can't remember, you can't really give it a good number on famous people cast. But then again, with Eddie Murphy, who else do you need? Hehe, I'm SO funny. No, just kidding. Well regardless, on to the more important elements.

The soundtrack is decent, but it doesn't blow away your mind. They are pretty good with mood music, like in times with sword swinging action (which mind are rare) you get fast, jumpy music. Oh, that brings me to the topic of the action. Disney didn't do to badly with the fighting, and the scene at the end absolutely rocks. But I won't tell you what it is. Well...now the only thing left is plot...which was only okay. Actually, here's an outline real quick-

Jim Evers and his wife Sarah Evers are real estates salespeople. One day, Sarah gets a call about a house that the owner wants to sell. She doesn't really want to go but her husband who is obbessesed with his work takes her and their two children along.

Overall: Yes, sorry that was a horrible outline. But anyway, the plot really changes the name from The Haunted Mansion to The Lovelorn Mansion With a Lot of Trapdoors and Ghost. Watch it yourself.

23 THIS ROCKS!
Listen, I saw the film yesterday, and it is truely haunting. It is one of the greatest Disney films ever made. Right next to Pirates of the Caribbean, that's my all time favorite Disney film. I think that this is great. I'm lovin' it! Eddie Murphy's funny, and the zombies are as good as the skeletons in POTC. That and this are fun, fun, fun. I'm hoping for more fun if there's a sequel. Oh, yeah POTC's gonna have a sequel coming out two years from now. The actors returning are Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. Gore Verbrinski takes the director's chair again. Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio are returning to write. Jerry Bruckheimer produces again. And returning as an assistant to Mr. Bruckheimer is John K. Campbell. Justin Sperandeo returns as the other assistant to Mr. Bruckheimer. Just enjoy both these movies.

24 Hauntingly fun!
This movie is great for kids and adults alike. It will send chills down your spine at one or two parts; however, it is not so scary that it will frighten your kids to tears.

Eddie Murphy proves in this film that he does not have to use foul language to thoroughly entertain the public. I heard not one single foul word. He even brings across the vital message that families should never be taken for granted and selfishness could cost you everything that you hold dear. Great morals within the movie.

The DVD has several extras that movie-goers did not get. Can't say what or it will spoil it for you. Highly recommended movie for the entire family!

Reviewed by Detra Fitch.

25 Eddie Murphy Fan Here!
Even tho I am a HUGE EM Fan...I would have enjoyed this movie anyway. I thought it woulld appeal to kids of any age group when I watched it, and guess what, I was right. I've been an adult for a very long time and I just loved it. Most people will too!

26 Very Disapointing
Disney has long enjoyed success in its parks by building rides inspired by their movies, now they've tried to reverse that by writing a movie inspired by the popular Magic Kingdom attraction, The Haunted Mansion.

Unfortunately, the plot is weak, the humor sophomoric and the suspense is non-existent. I gave the movie 2 out of 5 stars because there are a few cool effects and Eddie Murphy is able to salvage almost anything.

If you have young children who have been pestering you to be allowed to watch a "scary" movie, but you're worried about turning them loose on Stephen King, then this might be an okay compromise. But bring a good book to the couch with you, because its probably not going to keep the attention of anyone over the age of 10, definitely not over the age of 15.

27 from a Haunted Mansion Fanatic
The movie could of been better! Eddie shouldn't of been the main character. I gave the movie *****(5 stars)still because I have enjoyed it since it's release. The movie should of also been truer to the rides!

28 A real treat!
From the onset I knew I was in for a "treat" ~ another Disney ride turned into a movie. When will there be some more animation from the Disney folks? The movie has its funny moments and I am talking funny in the "I don't have to use four letter words to be funny". It is not Eddie Murphy's best (personally, I liked Dr. Doolittle) but it's very good. Murphy and his wife, real estate brokers who have a chance to get the big score, are invited to a grand old mansion for a chance to sell it and make a huge profit. Greed as always wins out over common sense and the family enters a set-up thrill ride. Some of the special effects are lame but it is just scary enough, nothing of offensive nature which makes it perfect for a Friday night rental. I give it a solid recommendation.

29 I think I'm gonna be sick!
Well.... It was something, I'll tell you that. It was disgusting and just plain stupid in some parts. It was honestly better than I expected, though. Due to the horrible reveiws it got, I expected it to be a pathetic peice of trash.

The graphics and effects were nice. There was nothing obviously fake, and no mistakes that I noticed in images or anything like that.

It's hard to figure out the right age group for this movie. I'm thirteen, and it didn't really freak me out, but if I were ten or so, it would. On the other hand, my mom told me it had some inappropriate words in it. I think that mature eleven year olds to immature fourteen year olds may like it.

But if you've got kids who are used to watching horror films, try buying The Ghost In Mr. Chicken, as I heard someone else in another rewiew say. It's much, much scarier, and it spooked me out so badly that I dreaded going to bed. All in all, The Haunted Mansion was 50/50.

30 HAUNTED MANSION.
IDE GIVE IT A 3 IN A HALF. THIS ONE ISNT BAD BUT ITS NOT GREAT EITHER. DOESNT REALLY FOLLOW THE RIDES THEME THAT MUCH AND THATS BAD SOME WAYS AND GOOD IN OTHER WAYS. ITS GOT A FEW GOOD FUNNY MOMENTS. KIDS WILL LIKE IT BUT ONLY SOME ADULTS WILL. ITS ABOUT A REAL ESTATE AGENT AND HIS FAMILY GO TO A HOUSE IN ORDER TO SELL IT BUT ENDS UP HAVING TO STAY THE NIGHT BECAUSE OF A BAD STORM. TURNS OUT THAT THERE IS A STORY AND LEGEND THAT FLOATS THREW THIS HOUSE AND ONCE THIS UNEXPECTING FAMILY FINDS OUT WHAT IT IS IT MAY JUST MAKE THEM BELIEVE IN GHOSTS.

31 Stick to the ride
HM is boring for adults. There's no real plot, just a jumble of sfx. For kids it could be pretty scary. If I were 8, I'd be freaked out.

32 oh god. the horror.
This movie is a hopeless failure as a YA suspense story, and it's all but irredeemable as a comedy. Honestly, the best part of this movie is the opening credits sequence--a pleasantly Victorian and abstract couple of minutes peppered with T.S.Eliot-esque tarot cards, red wine poisonings and tragic suicides. The credits promised me a movie that would not suck. A curse upon those credits and their misleading level of quality, for the movie that followed them made me weep for the Eddie Murphy I knew in Beverly Hills Cop.

33 best left for network airing...
I'd been eager to see this movie. Finally my son (who is 15) and I rented it. To me, it was a yawner. The movie did not keep my interest, I was bored. The acting was mediocre, the humor was weak or nonexistent, the story didn't move me (though I did jump a couple of times and that was funny). The entertainment value for me was lackluster. It left me unsatisfied and I truly wish that I had spent my money on something more entertaining. I have no desire to see the movie again-it will go back to the rental store early. My son was similarly unenthusiastic. I'm glad that I did not waste my money on the DVD-as I had often been tempted as I see it at several places that I shop. The movie might make you want to see the Disney attraction (and that probably is the point of it). My suggestion-wait for the network premiere - commercial breaks may make it more entertaining.

34 Fun, but also strange
The Haunted Mansion is a pretty fun movie, but it also has weird parts about hell and some parts about crystal balls. The story isn't very good for adults, but I wouldn't want a child to see the parts about crystal balls and hell. Therefore, it doesn't really reach any age level. It could have been good, however, if it hadn't had the parts about hell and crystal balls.

35 not that good of a movie
maybe kids will like this but overall this movie stunk. eddie murphy was horrible and the story really didn't allow him to be any better.

36 Really great family movie
I thought it was a great movie, and I don't understand all the criticism. The story line was interesting, effects really good, and because I didn't read the reviews that give away the whole story, I found it an innovative plot. It was spookier than I expected, probably a bit scary for little kids, but fine for above 6. It was sweet, spooky, and with just enough comedy and action. Definitely one of the better family movies I have seen in the past few years, I am surprised it wasn't a bigger hit at the theaters--but then again I often find reviewers to be wrong about good movies.

37 Not so bad as some people say
I would have to say that, having read Kevin's review of this movie, I have to add my own comments. I have to disagree with most, if not all, of what he claimed was bad about the movie. The humor was great, the storyline was meant to be simple, and there is nothing at all wrong with a little simplicity. As for insulting the intelligence of its audience, again, I disagree. I enjoyed the movie and did not feel at all that my intelligence was insulted. And by the way... another amusement park ride turned movie by disney... Pirates of the Caribbean... yet another great one for Disney!

38 NOT Suitable for young children! PG is misleading rating
Having just watched this movie, I am amazed at the "PG" rating. Small children will find this movie VERY scary and those older will probably have a few nightmares. I would not recommend it to under 10's. The effects are very real, beware! Some of the reviews I have read, 6 year olds have seen it. In my opinion, they are way too young.

Story line was VERY week, could have been alot better. If this is the acepted standard then PLEASE do not make a sequel!

39 this is a comedy?
definately, one of the worst movies i have seen from 2003, watched it with my 6 year old daughter and could not figure out why they called it a comedy, not one funny scene in the whole flick, also , would not find this disaster a fit movie for any child under the age of 10,effects were so-so but, the direction and storyline were absolutely abominable, can only thank the stars that pixar continues to do movies for children and you are better suited to go in that direction if you have young ones.............

40 I Cannot Believe The Bad Reviews On Here
Come on, people! What, is Eddie Murphy suddenly cinematic poison to you all? Is he not still the funny, charming comedic actor that *all* of you have laughed to in the past?? Is it suddenly uncool to like him...or to like a film based on a Disney ride??? (Can you say PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN, perhaps??) Am I missing something, because I just don't get your reactions on here at all!

Listen, it's true that Eddie Murphy has made some duds recently in his career, such as THE ADVENTURES OF PLUTO NASH and I SPY (both 2002)---unseen by me as of this writing, by the way---but he's also still making hits (and great films), too: witness SHREK (2001) and the still brand-new SHREK 2, and it is really questionable as to whether Mr. Murphy's star has really gone out. I mean, he also made BEST DEFENSE in 1983, and then went on to the mega-hit BEVERLY HILLS COP the very next year. Besides, some of our greatest and most respected actors such as Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino have starred in bad movies---THE FAN (1996), ISHTAR (1987) and CRUISING (1981), respectively, so it's pretty unfair to act as if Murphy's the only one who's made some crappy choices. And it really doesn't matter what other films Eddie has done, anyway. We are discussing THE HAUNTED MANSION (2003) on these pages, so let's just take the film by itself as it is.

This is an extremely well-made film that is a feast for the senses. Everything---Art Direction, Set Design, Costumes, Makeup, Visual Effects, Sound Effects Editing included---was made painstakingly with great attention to detail. I'm baffled by one obviously ill-informed reviewer who commented on 'the cheap CGI effects'---what??? Just by watching the movie, I could tell that *nothing* about it was made on the cheap. And if that hadn't convinced me by itself, then the two documentaries ("The Making Of The Mansion" and "Anatomy Of A Scene - Ghost In The Graveyard") would have done the trick. As it is, these docs really made me appreciate even more all the great work that makeup artist extraordinaire Rick Baker (truly a legend in his craft), costumer Mona May and all the rest did. And if that weren't enough, the DVD gives us a superb interactive tour of the Gracie Mansion! I have just seen the DVD after getting it from Netflix. After watching it, I know that I want to buy it!

Eddie Murphy and British actress Marsha Thomason star as Jim & Sara Evers, of Evers & Evers Real Estate. In the opening scene, Jim is showing a couple a house (no, not the haunted one) of which they're not quite sure they want to buy. We're treated to another fine example of Murphy's comedic timing in this scene, where his wife calls about spending their anniversary night together and he's making it seem to the prospective couple as if he's speaking with another interested couple. In true pop psychology form, the couple in the room immediately make their move to purchase the house. Of course, this setup is just to establish the characters of Jim & Sara, and soon they're off to the Gracie Mansion (no, not the NYC Mayor's house) to which they've been invited (well actually, just Sara) by a spooky-sounding man who presents himself as the representative of the interested seller. Of course, the spooky man turns out to be the butler Ramsey (played to great spooky effect by the wonderful Terence Stamp). They also meet Master Gracie (Nathaniel Parker) whom, we learn, fell in love with a black girl named Elizabeth in the 19th century who committed sucicide (or so he thought) when they realized they could never marry due to the obvious societal pressures of their day. It's an effective back story that speaks to the issues of race, intolerance and true love. But the real treat is the house and its ghostly inhabitants.

Sure, this isn't a *great* film; however, there really wasn't anything I didn't like. Everybody was well-cast. I liked the Evers' children, Megan and Michael, played respectively by Aree Davis (if she looks familiar to you, that's because she's the sister of Dee Dee Davis, who stars on "The Bernie Mac Show" and Marc John Jefferies (yep, the People PC spokesman!). Both are smart and engaging. I also liked Wallace Shawn and Dina Waters as the helpful ghostly couple Ezra & Emma. Jennifer Tilly is great as Madame Leota, a ghostly disembodied head in a crystal ball! All in all, THE HAUNTED MANSION is a great way to take your mind off things and just have fun for 88 minutes. That's all it aims to be, and it delivers well.

RECOMMENDED; AGES 6 & UP

41 NO FUN, NO SCARE, NOTHING
"The Haunted Mansion" stars Eddie Murphy who lost any cool attitude he had in the 80s, and looks as if trying to corner family picture genre since his "Dr. Dolittle" films. I don't care what ever he does as long as it is funny, scary, or whatever. The fact is, this "Mansion" is not remotely funny, scary ... whatever it is. Well, whatever it is, I am sure this is one of the worst pictures ever made with Disney logo, which this film certainly doesn't deserve to wear.

The cliche-ridden story need no summery. Eddie Murphy's character is dealing with real estates, and neglects his family too busy doing his business. Well, of course he relents soon, but when he takes out his family (one boy, one girl, one beautiful wife, as usual) to the holiday ride, he still drops in a big old house where a creepy butler (Terence Stamp, coming directly from Hammer horrors) introduces his master Nathaniel Parker, who must hide some secret behind the handsome face.

These incredibly uninspired story could be still tolerable if there are enough humor or scare in it. Sorry, but the film's scare means a big loud banging noise (the most artless way any kids can think of), and its humor means Eddie Murphy's incessant chatting and mugging which remind me of Martin Lawrence. And it might be cruel to add this, but the acting of kids are not good.

Campy fun could have saved the film from the entire mess, but Jennifer Tilly (who could be fun if given a right material) is literally confined in a small territory, reciting some silly rhymnes. The lush production designs are fun to see, so is Terence Stamp who surely understands his role, but the rest of the main characters, doing everything in a too straight manner, have ruined anything that might have come from the better part of the film.

As many reviewers rightly said, if you want to see a film based on Disney attraction, see "Pirates of the Carribian." It is fun to watch Johhny Depp, who knows how to take risks, doing different things with talant and experience.

42 Too Scary
All I have to say is this movie was way too scary for my kids. They couldn't even make it through the entire movie before asking to turn it off. We bought the DVD and opened it so now we can't return it. Parts I thought were a little frightening. There is one part where Eddie Murphy and the daughter in the movie are being chased by several skeletons (reminded me of Michael Jackson's Thriller video) while being trapped in a large tomb. I wish we had never purchased it. My kids don't even like to look at the DVD cover. Funny part is my kids have watched The Lord of the Rings and were not scared by that.

43 You Could Do ALOT Worse
To say this movie is bad for the numerous reasons reviewers list here so generously isn't 100% fair. This all depends on your expectations. I mean really, how good can you expect this film to actually be? A family/horror/comedy based on a ride at Disneyworld with Eddie Murphy? C'mon, what expectations did you really have? I never would have rented this film on my own free will, I can tell you that right now. I rented this film coz it was a fun night with just my daughter(she's 5) and I, and I had her pick out the movie. She could have done much, much worse. I can't stand the "family" films that come out anymore, but I didn't mind this one bit. Is it a good movie in the horror sense? No frickin' way! Is it good as a sidesplitting comedy? No. Is it a good film to watch with a small child when your other options are Olsen twins, Spy Kids 26 and Barbie-Swan Lake? You bet your butt it is! Basically, that's how I'm judging this film. In terms of the family viewing crud out there anymore, this is on par with Citizen Kane. If you wanna put it up against something like Kill Bill, well of course it's lame. This movie has enough to entertain the kiddies as well as keep the adults from nodding off to sleep. Some reviewers have complained that this may be a tad too scary for some children. That may be true, but honestly.....who cares? Can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen(that's the first time I've ever said that). Personally, I liked some of these "too scary for kids" moments. One in particular has Eddie Murphy and his daughter in a mausoleum where all the dead people come crawling out of their graves. This was actually pretty cool, quite Romero-ish. Good make-up by Rick Baker too. Terence Stamp is cool, as always. Though Eddie Murphy has really softened up over the last decade, he can still pull a few laughs out of you. This film would make perfect viewing on Halloween night if you've got kids who aren't old enough to watch Last House On The Left yet(but make sure they see that one at some point in their lives). So, if you have your kid(s) pick out a movie to rent and watch with you, consider yourself very lucky if they grab The Haunted Mansion. Just tell yourself that you could have been one of the unlucky parents who ended up watching Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch instead.

44 Murphy's MANSION provides mild scares and laughs
From Bob Hope to Don Knotts to even Francis the Talking Mule, haunted house comedies have long been a cinematic staple. After tackling the inept THE COUNTRY BEARS and the surprise hit PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, it was perhaps inevitable that Disney would base a film on its scariest and most popular ride, THE HAUNTED MANSION. Comedian Eddie Murphy, who would become a family favorite after successes in both SHREK and the DR. DOLITTLE films, was picked to lead the cast. What results is a film that unfortunately breaks no new ground in the haunted house genre, but is mildly amusing nevertheless.

Murphy plays Jim Evers, a real estate agent whose work is slowly overwhelming his ability to relate to his family, including his business partner and wife (Marsha Thomason). When Thomason's character gets a request to sell a haunted mansion, her husband (smelling a hot business deal) and kids come along for the ride. What results is a series of spooky, wild and crazy events that ultimately force Mr. Evers to refocus his priorities. Along the way, he'll have to contend with ghostly butlers, disembodied heads, and a wide variety of goofy ghosts and goblins.

By now, Eddie Murphy has become an old hand at playing workaholic fathers who learn the importance of family, while wise-cracking his way through the film. It's no different here. Murphy's solid, but not spectacular. Marsha Thomason is lovely and practical as Murphy's romantic foil. Terence Stamp is delightfully creepy as the ghostly butler, while Wallace Shawn and Dina Winters are amusing as a ghostly couple who help Murphy. However, it is Jennifer Tilly who garners most of the bigger laughs as Madame Leota, the disembodied head floating in a crystal ball, mainly through her rather "been there, done that" attitude.

For the most part, the humor ranges from somewhat cute to pretty lame. Indeed, the film will generate more smiles than laughs, especially for the adult crowd. (A quartet of singing busts in the cemetery gets the award for garnering the best laughs.) The production design is very handsome, however, and the special effects definitely capture the spirit (no pun intended) of the ride on which the film is based. Overall, THE HAUNTED MANSION is definitely an amiable time-waster that will definitely amuse the kids. Adults looking for more filling entertainment are better off looking elsewhere.

45 Somewhat bland but not totally worthless...
This movie vascillates from being amusing at certain points to quite dull at others. The story line, for the most part, feels rehashed...though it's difficult to say from where. It's probably because we've seen it so many times before. The story behind the ride seems like it was invented pretty darn quickly. The acting is mediocre and the movie's not hilarious or extremely touching or memorable or anything. It's moderate in most respects. The funniest scene is the barbershop quartet of singing stone heads, and it's nice to see them get tied to the back of the family station wagon and driven home at the end (though you might wonder why they'd bring such annoying little sculptures back with them!) The gypsy in the crystal ball, Madame Leota, is among the more likable and endearing characters, along with Emma and Ezra. In fact, they really should never have cut out the deleted scene with Emma and Ezra. This isn't really a movie that most people would want to rush out and see, but if you're into slightly cheesed-up Disney stuff or have younger kids, it's worth a viewing or two.

46 NOT AS GOOD AS PIRATES !
Following in the footsteps of PIRATES, Disney attempts to strike lighting one more time with this title. They do not succeed. This film was not a huge success at the box office, and there is a reason behind this lack of box office magic. The script is predictable and truly dull. It is not entertaining for adult or teens. The special effects are not really special and MURPHY's brand of acting/comedy is dated (very 1980s). Not a wise investment as a DVD purchase.

47 interesting film
I think the movie of the Haunted Mansion wasnot scary but was a little funny.I saw this movie in school and I found it interesting.Eddie Murphy played as a father in this film.I think you people will enjoy it to.you should read the book first to understand what the movie is about if you dont understand the main idea of the movie.

48 wonderful rendition of the ride
The Haunted Mansion is a beautifully simple story about love, deceit, betrayal, and family, with a few ghosts added in for good measure. i especially love the subtlety in which the storyline addresses interracial relationships; bravo to Disney for taking on a storyline with a powerful message of universal love.

similar to viewing Pirates of the Caribbean, those who have made a tradition of riding The Haunted Mansion will be tickled to death ;-) at the little touches that was done to bring various parts of the ride to life. i found myself singing in the movie theatre to "grim grimmy ghosts about to socialize!" moreso, the movie has served as a powerful advertisement to visit a Disney theme park in the near future, as i hope to do this summer. i found myself anxiously waiting for the DVD, and, sure enough, i purchased my widescreen edition within the first week of distribution.

the extras on the DVD were also very informative and enlightening. i just ate everything up.

don't be surprised, however, if you actually get a little spooked while watching this movie. while its definitely no slasher horror film (thank goodness), it does have it's creepy moments. like it's themepark counterpart, there are parts of this visual ride that are both jovial and fun and parts that do bring a chill up your spine.

enjoy this ride!

49 One of My Favorites!
I really enjoyed "the Haunted Mansion." When I went to Disney in Florida in 1999 I rode the ride at least 10 times.
The special effects for the movie are fantastic. The mausoleum scene is riminiscent to me of "Pirates of the Carribean" - this would be the only questionable part (in my opinion) for children under the age of 10. Very realistic dead folks!
I loved the 999 Grim Grinning Ghosts and the Theme song along with it. The ghosts are SO DISNEY! If you've been on the ride, you know what I mean.
"When the crypt doors creak
and the tombstones quake,
the spooks come out
for a swingin' wake.
Happy Haunts materialize
and begin to vocalize!
Grim Grinning Ghosts,
come out to socialize!"

50 Another Great Disney movie base on a great ride
The Haunted Mansion is good movie, i will agree that it is a little scary for little kids. Overall it is a good movie with some laughs and suspense. If you like the pirates of the Caribbean then you will like the haunted mansion. So go see it.

51 An Average Movie
Not bad. Especially if you have ever been to Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, gives a nice story to follow. But, don't expect the story to be as good as Pirates of the Carribean. Overall, I think the writing was aceptable but subpar and the actors are guilty of "overacting".

52 Loved It!
I absolutely loved this movie and I can't see why you people are ripping on it so much. True the wrting wasn't as it could have been but I still absolutely loved the movie. I actually went and saw it three times while it was in the theatres with my friends. I also don't think this movie was meant to be scary at all maybe for little kids but not for adults I still liked and thought it was good. So I do very much recommend this movie to anyone who likes a little scary and a little comedy movie. Good plot and good movie for the kids to see also.

53 Spook-tacular Fun!
I do not understand all of the rips folks are giving this film. Granted, it isn't the funniest or scariest film in the world, but it is planted somewhere in the middle. That's a good thing for a movie trying to appeal to such a large demographic. Eddie Murphy does a superb job here(better than in "Daddy Day Care") of making his character the perfect salesman/father-figure. Terence Stamp is flat out creepy as the butler. The rest of the cast, especially the kids, are all fine in this movie.

Here's a brief synopsis of the plot:
Murphy's wife is called to "sale" an old mansion for it's owner. However, it's all a ploy to get her there because the owner thinks that she is his long-lost love from years ago. Once there, things occur that try to eliminate the rest of the family from the picture. Twists and turns ensue, and Eddie makes you laugh throughout the film.

Most of the family can check out this movie. I wouldn't let really young'uns watch this, however. I'd keep the age limit at eight and above. There is a little foul language, but not nearly as much as on primetime network TV these days. I think the total cussword count was somewhere around four. There are a couple of sequences that may be too frightening for the small kids, especially one scene in an old crypt where tons of baddies wake up and try to catch Eddie and the kids. The rest of the film is full of light-hearted, "Boo!" type scares and some friendly ghosts that will help settle your child's fears.

This film is definitely more family-oriented than "Pirates of the Caribbean," though "Pirates" is a better story. The special effects were handled by the same folks on both films, so you won't be letdown in that area. The visuals are stunning. I agree with others that the scenery is beautifully done. The mansion looks and "feels" old. The ghosts are reasonably believable, but they remain true to the ride this film is based on. The music is both haunting and humorous at the same time. It really sets the mood for the movie.

As far as the DVD goes, the transition from big screen to small screen is flawless. The sound is great and the extras are fun. I really recommend this movie. It's fun for most of the family and it's a visual extravaganza.

54 Not Sure Where To Classify This Film
Eddie Murphy has his usual comedic wit about him, and the acting is solid. The storyline is easy enough for the kids to follow, but I question the content for children. Like many films these days, there were gaping holes in the plot mixed in with comedic lines. But it wasn't funny enough to be deemed a comedy. It also wasn't scary enough (or taken seriously enough) to be a horror film. So this brings me to the question "What exactly do you classify this film as?"

It's billed as being "for the kids" but it has some stuff in it that would frighten my kid(s). I found myself asking myself the underlying question throughout the movie "Why?" The plot was understood, but the repeated random acts of occurance seemed to repeatedly force me to ask the question again "Why?"

This led me to ask myself the question "Why am I watching this?"

55 Not nearly as bad as I'd expected ...
You know how, when a movie is overly-hyped, that sometimes by the time you see it, it's like -- What was the big deal?

Well, the reverse works, too - sometimes a movie is put-down and criticized sooooo badly, by the time you see it you say to yourself, "This wasn't so bad" --

"The Haunted Mansion" begins by showing us real estate agent Jim Evers (Murphy) closing yet another deal. Turns out the guy is one hot seller, but it's been at the expense of spending time with his wife (and business partner) Sara (played by the beautiful Marsha Thomason) and their two kids -- daughter Megan and son Michael. Finally wising up to the fact that he's been working too much, Jim agrees to take his family away for the a weekend to the lake ... after stopping at just ONE MORE appointment, when Sara receives a bizarre call from a creepy-sounding butler whose master wants to sell his home.

The butler, Ramsley (Terence Stamp), was VERY adamant on the phone that Sara was to come alone, but Jim (as usual) takes over, and the family drops by on their way out of town. This turns out to be a huge mistake, for they're immediately trapped in the old mansion when a storm washes out the one and only road to the place. And when Master Gracey (Nathaniel Parker), the master of the house and a dashing gentleman with eyes for Sara, shows his true hand at what he has planned, it'll take all that Jim and his kids have to break the curse that hangs over the haunted mansion -- and save Sara's life.

This is a great film for a family to watch - kind of spooky for really young kids but otherwise okay (I'm a single guy, and even I liked it, so it's not JUST for families, either). Eddie Murphy grated on my nerves at first as Jim - but then again, he should have, because Jim was a workaholic in need of a wake-up call. The special effects are top-notch, and Murphy is backed by a supporting cast that keeps up with him nicely (including Jennifer Tilly as the fortune teller Madame Leota -- a floating head in a crystal ball of green smoke). Some laughs, a few chills, and maybe a bit too much of a smarmy ending make the film enjoyable -- and, at only 82 minutes, not too painful even if you don't like it!

A friend of mine brought this over to watch, but I plan on buying my own; it's a sweet little spooky comedy that is easy on the eye, and good for when you want to just pop it in your DVD player for a quiet evening of tame entertainment. And again -- I put this on with no expectations, and was pleasantly surprised. On its own merits, the film works beautifully.

56 Bad writing, not acting the problem with this film.
As one who once worked and trained Cast Members at WDW's Haunted Mansion, I can say the overall film does justice to the visuals of the attraction, but it suffers from there. Alienation in the family and its repair is not a new phenomenon in film. What's changed is the lost art of subtly making the point without hitting you over the head with it. Mary Poppins worked because Walt Disney made this point without making it the *obvious* point of the film. Subsequent efforts, such as Hook and now The Haunted Mansion, have stumbled because they've made the "moral of the story" so obvious there's no self-discovery in the viewing; that and there's nothing I hate more than a film that has to preach its point, rather than make its point. There IS a difference. Aside from this problem, the Mansion stumbles in one other critical point. (And, no, sorry to disappoint all you Eddie Murphy bashers, it's not his presence. In fact, he does quite a nice job at making his character obnoxious in a suburban middle class sort of way.) The problem is the finale execution. The story, in fact, is very well set up and, like its attraction origin, has a good balance between the scares and the comedy. The problem comes during the mock wedding when Ramsley is exposed. What follows is the common TV dilemma of "we've painted ourselves into a nice corner with a great set-up and only have 10 minutes to solve the problem we've created. What do we do now?" The ending, particularly Ramsley's demise, courtesy of a fire dragon, apparently is on loan from Lord of the Rings, is carried off with dithered mix of non-explanation and overdone sentimentality. The result is a great build-up with a lot of preaching about the importance of family through muddled climactic writing. Disney (And Sir Steven) would do well to review Mary Poppins. There is no substitute for clear writing and a important point made, not told, along the way.

57 Big Fat Flop
Having recently taken my 6 year old to scooby doo 2 he was slightly scared at certain points but the movie was well done and deserved its PG rating. Normally I am a fan of Disney and with the Haunted Mansion being rated PG as well I thought why not. I have not been this disappointed in a Disney movie in a long time, there was no plot and the casting selections were weak with special effects throw in for filler. The ending was certainly beyond the PG rating, more like PG13 with the things shown definitely above a childs level but presented in a very scary way. Disney this movie was terrible and a cheap movie to take advantage of a great ride. I have no idea what part of this script Eddie Murphy thought was "good" either...

58 P-U
OK, enough with the generous star donations here. Anything more than one star is wasted on this poor adaption of the myriad of horror/comedies that have preceded it. And I'm really reaching when I refer to this as a comedy. The acting, special effects, plot and cinematography fell well short of my expectations. Sure, there were some decent special effects but the film lacked consistency overall. Scene transitions seemed forced or disjointed, which made it difficult to follow the acting/action. I couldn't help but wonder if Eddie Murphy really wanted to do this film, or not. I half-heartedly agree with some of the other reviewers who noted that youngsters might find this film entertaining -- my 11 and 13 year olds found it mostly predictable and boring. Give this one a pass unless you're a true Eddie Murphy fan, and you don't mind throwing away your money.

59 Starts Off Good, But Then Eddie's Charm Has To Carry It!
The beginning of this movie was very promising. I think the movie needed a better middle and ending. The "bad guys or ghosts" weren't "bad" enough, and the "good guys" weren't "good" enough, so by the end of the movie, you weren't sure who you really cared about - if anyone at all.

I think Eddie Murphy still has an amazing presence on the screen, so he manages to carry the film even in its low points.

This is a fun-family film, but not an outstanding one; just a good one.

See ya next review!

www.therunninggirl.com

60 Flat !!
There is only one word that comes to mind when reviewing this movie........... FLAT !

It's not funny, not scary, not action packed, not a drama.... I don't know what they were aiming for here.

I wanted to love this movie because I am a Haunted Mansion fanatic... I own every souvenier, sound effects album, copy of blueprints, etc.... available on the Haunted Mansion attraction and it's history.

Regarding the movie, it was nice to see them use Walt's original idea for the architecture and the original 1950's Gracey mansion legend.
Maybe only die-hard Doombuggy fans picked up on this dedication trivia.... BUT... the movie just did not come together in a successful way like Pirates did last year.

It is probably still good family entertainment for 90 minutes or so... but nothing that will leave a lasting memory or impression.

It felt like a movie "made by committee" where so many different people's input collided in such a way the movie just plodded along with no real life or "spark".

61 Eddie Murphy's Charm Is What Makes It.....
Well, my parents are both real estate agents, so they, as well as my brother and I, got a real kick out of the real estate humor that the movie sported early in the movie. But the movie quickly went downhill after that.

The idea of putting the cherished Disney ride into a movie is pretty awesome when you think of it, but I felt that the movie did no justice to the ride.

If I had to describe this movie in ten words or less, I would say it was 'lame, but had some good points.' If there was no Eddie Murphy in the movie, it would be a waste of effort, time, and money, but since he was in the movie, I can't say the movie completely stunk. I felt the ending of the movie was rushed, it just ends with the family driving.....I don't even think they mention it, with those talking head-sculptures on the roof. I, presonally, didn't like the ending at all.

I think the movie might be a litte too scary for kids under 8. I think perhaps the movie is scarier than the ride. I wouldn't just assume if a kid could handle the ride that they could thoroughly enjoy the movie. But it's a hard assumption, because Eddie Murphy's charm seems to make the movie great for kids. It's a tough call. In the movie, some parts were scary, and some parts were just weird. Like, for instance, Sarah Evers was forced to drink poison so she would die and live with some guy who thinks she is his long-lost love, but instead of dying, some angel or something comes along and goes into her body, and she comes back to life. Weird, right? Also, at the beginning of the movie, during the opening credits, the movie briefly shows, well, the story you see in the ride. And in it it shows that the guy hung himself. I think the movie should have been triggered to a specific audience. Kids or Teens to Adults. Some parts were really scary/weird and some parts were just silly and funny.

I would rent this movie before buying it if you hadn't already seen it.

62 Too frightenning for kids, too dull for adults.
Eddie Murphy returns to his family oriented material and the end result is less than stellar.
Basically this is a retelling of the overused people stranded in a spooky mansion that goes back to black and white classics like The Cat and The Canary and William Castle's House on Haunted Hill. The spirit of a young man who committed suicide over the loss of his young bride to be haunts a huge, decrepit house. As luck would have it, Eddie Murphy's wife is a dead ringer for the young man's departed love, so the lovelorn ghost lures Eddie, his wife and two young children to the mansion with predictable results.
This is the second film to be based on a Disney attraction in a short while, and let me assure you this is no Pirates of the Carribean. The plotting and pace is much too slow and tedious to be of any interest to adults and this story has been done a million times previous with more enjoyable results. The main problem is that it is just not funny, even the outtake reel on the DVD, arguably the funniest part of the DVD is rather dull and flat.
Another big problem is that many of the thematic elements are just too intense for younger kids, the opening scene of the aforementioned young man's suicide by hanging is particularly troubling as is a very frightenning scene in a mausoleum where hordes of reanimated, decaying corpses descend upon Eddie and his young daughter.
I will admit that the special effects of the ghosts in the cemetary were very impressive and another scene with animated statues singing barbershop quartet style was quite enjoyable and fun.
In closing, the dvd is nothing special either with the requisite documentary, commentary track and outtake reel included. Even the interactive tour of the haunted mansion induced tedium and boredom. I would really only recommend this film to mature pre-teens who are fans of Eddie Murphy and/or routine ghost stories.

63 It's Good!
Eddie Murphy stars as Jim Evers, one half of Evers and Evers Real Estate. At Evers and Evers, they want to keep you happy for evers and evers. But Jim's addiction to his work is starting to affect his relationships at home. Even his wife and business partner, Sara Evers, is losing patience with him. When a couple of new customers cause Jim to miss an anniversary date with his wife, that's the last straw. He has to promise a full, family weekend at the lake to make up for it. So Jim, Sara, and their preteen kids, Megan and Michael, are all set for a fun little vacation when the phone rings at the last minute.

It's just a quick little stop off at the Gracey Manor in New Orleans, what's the worst that could happen? The owners want to sell. Too many...bad memories. But in no time, the family finds they must stay the night as a sudden rainstorm has flooded the road. The wife and kids aren't thrilled, the creepy butler Ramsley and the suspicious staff were enough to put them off, but Jim is overwhelmed at the idea of selling the huge place. And Mr. Gracey is thrilled to have them, especially Sara, who reminds him so much of someone he loved long ago. It doesn't take long before we realize that a plot is underfoot. It also doesn't take long before we discover that the inhabitants of Gracey Manor aren't what they seem to be. In no time, the movie gets kicked into high gear, as the Evers family members find themselves on a quest to save their beloved Sara from a houseful of restless spirits!

"The Haunted Mansion" is far better than most people might lead you to believe. Had it come out after Disney's "The Country Bears," it might have been hailed as a fantastic achievement (unless people just avoided it), but on the heels of "Pirates of the Caribbean," well, how can a cute little family comedy compete with one of the greatest action/adventure films ever made? Still, when judged on its own merit, Haunted Mansion is a fine film, well worth purchasing and repeat viewing. With the fantastic skills of effects master Rick Baker and the comedic talent of Eddie Murphy, along with another of Disney's best rides as a basis and several nods to it throughout, the fact that the film could probably have been better isn't enough to detract from the fact that it IS quite good. I mean, most movies could be "better." If you judge everything like that, you probably only actually like about 4 or 5 movies. Now, I'm not saying this movie doesn't have some obvious flaws. Marsha Thomason may be beautiful, but her acting is pretty bad. Perhaps she was focusing too much on hiding her accent. And sure, the film could have been funnier, and it could have had more scary moments, though that Zombie sequence was pretty darn good. Overall, "The Haunted Mansion" is a highly satisfying night of entertainment. If you're a fan of the ride, it should be all the more fun, and the rewatchability level is pretty high on this one. Definitely not the total disappointment it was made out to be. I purchased this one not sure what to expect, and was pleasantly surprised. The extras on the disc are pretty good too, though I would have loved to have seen more, including some of the old Disney TV programs about the ride. I'm surprised the cartoon "Lonesome Ghosts" wasn't included on this one, since it seems to be on every spooky Disney release. The behind the scenes stuff was pretty neat though. At any rate, I'm happy to give this film a thumbs up! Loved the singing busts and hitchhiking ghosts, and Madame Leota was pretty cool too! Props to Jennifer Tilly for pulling off a role that I had originally wanted Phyllis Diller to play. The only thing missing was Don Knotts as the Groundskeeper!

64 wish i could give it less
as a fan of the ride. i was worried. i saw a preview and thought "eh, might be alright."

boy was i wrong.

funniest parts are whent hey insulted Eddie Murphy.
they butchered the ride to amke it "oh i know this part". Paul Frees' genius is long and forgotten in this 1 and 1/2 hour sleep machine. they based too much of the movie on opresumptions and guesses about the ride and did too little with what they actually had.

stay away from this Mansion and goto Disney World and get a better bang for your buck.

65 Scary for Kids, Tame for Adults, But Fun
Jim Evers is committed to his real estate business, almost to the exclusion of his wife, also his partner in business, and kids. When they are offered an exclusive listing on a stately manor outside of town, it's too much for him to resist, and he insists on stopping on the way to a weekend trip. While they are eating dinner (they didn't seem to have much of a choice), a fierce storm comes up they are trapped for the night. The old place is creepy, however. As the characters get separated, they start to find strange things going on. Slowly, Jim and his kids begin to realize they must solve a mystery if any of them are going to get out alive.

Unfortunately for this movie, it came out so soon after PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN that the comparisons would be inevitable. It had huge shoes to fill, and comes up short. It is a fun movie in its own right, however, and deserves a look. The plot turns into a decent mystery that had me confused for most of the time. It does feature family movie cliches (workaholic dad, kid with a certain fear they'll have to over come), but builds in enough other plot elements these are kept to a minimum. Fans of the ride at Disneyland will find lots of fun nods to the inspiration to keep them entertained. There are funny moments throughout the movie. Probably my favorite gag was with the singing busts. I may have been the only person in the theater to get it, but any fan of barbershop quartets will appreciate it.

I've never been a fan of Eddie Murphy, and I did find his over the top acting to be annoying. But the other actors stepped up to the plate and kept me intrigued in spite of the lead. I especially enjoyed seeing Wallace Shawn in a hilarious turn as one of the mansion's servants trying to help Jim and the kids solve the mystery.

Don't be deceived, this movie will scare young kids. It is half comedy and half jump fest that works remarkably well. It's a tad creepier then the ride, so don't just use that as a guide. It would probably be best to watch it first and determine how your kids will react.

Disney has done this DVD right with a nice widescreen transfer and surround sound. In addition, they've got some great behind the scenes features and my favorites - outtakes and deleted scenes.

Those looking for a light scary movie will enjoy this. Just make sure your kids won't get nightmares first. A good film to make a family Halloween tradition.

66 A Haunted Mansion For The Kid In All of Us
The Haunted Mansion film is not as bad as some will lead you to believe. Actually The Haunted Mansion is a throwback to movies
like William Castle's original 13 Ghosts (1960) and Don Knotts'
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1965). The ghosts play it straight and dead serious and leaves the comedy to Eddie Murphy and family. There are also many scenes that reference Disney's theme
park ride. Such as the singing busts, the ballroom waltz complete with a ghostly organist, and the hitch hiking ghosts even get their cameos. The story is very simple. A nice family
is trapped overnight in The Haunted Mansion, trying to find a
way out. There is also a subplot that deals with reincarnation,
and a 122 year old murder mystery. A really fun movie. My favorite scene: The Gothic Mausoleum. Rick Baker has produced
the best rotting, skeletal walking corpses I have ever seen.
Seemingly straight out of a 1950s EC horror comic.
So if retro horror comedy is to your liking you will love
The Haunted Mansion movie.

67 A simple yet entertaining movie.
I can be very short on my review...
The movie is just like the themepark attraction: simple and clean fun...for young AND old.

It isn't the most sophisticated movie ever made, but we have allready seen that in PotC. The movie is entertaining from begin to end and captures the feeling of the original ride.

Don't expect a horror-fest or a "bruce allmighty"-like comedy though....just a great - don't have to think about anything - evening on the couch with a loads of popcorn.

68 Great Movie, Poor Special Features
"The Haunted Mansion" is a great mystery movie. It tries to be funny, and it is sometimes, but there is never anything hilarious in the film. However, what it lacks in comedy, it makes up for in the drawn out storyline. The storyline is not only great, but easy for most families to relate to. Workaholic Jim Evers(Eddie Murphy) misses his anniversary, so to make up for it, he is taking the whole family for a weekend getaway. However, when he gets the opportunity to sell a mansion, he forces the family to make a pit stop. A flash flood strands them overnight, causing the Evers to get tangled up in the huge mystery hidden within the old, spooky, haunted mansion.

Anyone why has ever been to a Disney theme park and ridden the ride will get a big kick out of this movie because there are a lot of references to the ride made throughout the film. The special features are greatly disapointing. The is a behind the scenes featurette which is very short and uninformative. There is only one deleted scene, and to make this fact worse, the commentaries are filled with references to other deleted scenes. The Haunted Mansion virtual tour is boring and won't be able to hold a child's attention for the whole 23 minutes it takes to tour. There is some good in the extras section, though. The anatomy of a scene feature is very informative about how the digital effects where used to make the ghosts, and on the DVD-ROM portion of the disc, there is a history of the attraction.

This film takes place at night in a dark mansion filled with ghosts and zombies, so it will definatley scare small children. Other things parents may object to is the use of the "C" word mostly by adults, but once by a 10 year old. Another thing parents should watch out for is the fact that somebody is sucked into hell. That person was bad, but I can see where parents would object to this. All things aside, "The Haunted Mansion" is a very good movie that your family will be able to enjoy for years to come.

69 A failed attempt.
This film was a little like The Cat in the Hat, too scary or crude for kids, too bland for teens, and too dorky for adults. This film should have done more like its predecessor The Pirates of the Caribbean, and been set not in modern times but in maybe the 1600s. The acting wasn't that great, and in my opinion Eddie Murphey should've stick to the PG-13 and up films. The story was way too predictable and didn't live up to the ride. In my opinion, you will get more laughs and satisfaction by going to a Disney Theme Park and ride the 2 minute ride, instead of trying to sit through this hour and a half flop.

70 A Decent good time
The Haunted Mansion is Disney's 4th movie based on a ride if you count the made for tv Tower of Terror. It's often fun, funny and even romantic. It's far from being one of the best movies I've seen though. There's scenes where the movie can actually be funnier. I mean Eddie Murphy is a funny guy and a talented comedien but his lines just get a giggle. The movie has a lot of good chances for humor but it doesn't take them. For instance Murphy and the talented Terrence Stamp (The Limey) as the butler could've had much funnier scenes together. Instead through most the movie, it just has Stamp walking around and creeping up on people. He looks good in the role and is well in character but the script fails to do anything really funny with him. He's pale with his hair sticking up in the air and he walks around like a zombie and the only way Murphy pokes fun at him is by saying he needs a tan....haha.

I mean they could've thought of something more clever than that. The movie could've been laugh out loud funny especially with Murphy in the lead....but it's not. Don't get me wrong there's some laughs but I don't think there's enough, well not enough from Murphy anyway. The singing statues from the ride are funny, they work best in the movie. I also liked Jennifer Tilly as a gypsy spirit trapped in a crystal ball, that's what I think she's meant to be anyway. People make fun of that saying, that's stupid, is a talking head in crystal ball. I think it's meant to be that her spirit is trapped in there some how though. Anyway the ideas that the movie took from the ride itself are actually what work best. I'm basically just giving it a mild recommendation for just rental not to buy. Eventhough Pirates of the Carribean was a great movie based on a ride, Disney needs to be more original though. You can tell they are slumpted on what to do next if they stoop as low as making movies based on rides. So what's next Space Mountain with Colin Ferrell ? lol.

71 Disney's Imgaineers at their very best!
From the beginnig credits to the very end this was defiantely one of the best movies to come along in the last twenty years. The special effects were awesome! This movie was way better than I expected it to be. If you have been to through the "Haunted Mansion" rides at any of the Magic Kingdoms, then you should see this movie! The scenery is so accarrate (from the movie) in the movie, that you actually feel as if you are standing in the Mansion with Eddie Murphie and his family! We couldn't believe it! Go Disney Imgaineers! Those of you like me who have been to both will realize that this movie is made up of a combination of both rides in the states. This is a wonderful family movie with those who have kids about nine and up. Much like the ride, this movie is very intense and was scary to kids under 9 in theater. ( So much so that one family ended up leaving.) Eddie Murphie and his wife are real estate agents who are looking to sell this myesterious "Old Mansion". The family ends up learning a lot about family and love. This is destined to be a family classic! Why didn't Disney make this movie sooner?

72 Nominated for the WORST Disney Movie EVER!
Only a post-creative Disney would try making a movie out of an amusement park ride - and fail miserably to make it entertaining!

This movie has an "I can't stop watching because there might actually be something interesting coming up" feeling to it:

-The camera movements along with the special effects make it visually appealing.

-The story line is so pale, shoddy, and predictable that it insults the intelligence of not only adults but the children viewers as well.

-There are a few one-liners which are adequately funny, but they really should have added "canned laughter" so the audience is tricked into thinking it should be funnier. Had they done so they would have had to change the "cinematic music" as well as adding the movie to a slot on the Disney Channel (where it BELONGS).

Overall another Disney failure, complete with state of the art special effects, no plot, and poor acting. Perhaps a PS2 spinoff game would work better? Or maybe they should stick with keeping their amusement parks out of the cinema.

Had I read a post like mine beforehand, I would have not allowed myself or any others to have wasted our time seeing this movie at the $1 theatre.

73 Geee Minus
Eddie Murphy should quit while ...just Quit!. He's not funny like he used to be. Not a well written line nor plot. I kept yawning, although it wasn't a sleeper...You keep hoping something in the movie would thicken or catch your interest.

It's just another TV movie...no, wait...TV movies are better.

74 Ghastly!
This is one of the worst movies in YEARS! A total disappointment for anyone who ever thought there was haunting magic in the theme park attraction(s). This was a perfect opportunity for a truly haunting and spooky tale. What the new Disney delivered is a campy, lackluster, brainless romp through a series of not so special effects. Come on, a seatbelt on the Madam Leota crystal ball? With each passing frame of film the insults are compiled on it's viewer in an unbearably terrible film. The Haunted Mansion is a ghastly movie for all the wrong reasons! (I would have given this a no star rating if given the option.)

75 Romance and Mystery
This movie has two main messages.
1-The romance battle that Edward Gracy has since he lost his love so long ago, and the love that Jim Evers has since he has a wife that he doesnt want to lose. This causes him to find the courage to face his fears and save his wfie and children.

2-The basic mystery of the house which leads everyone to wonder what happened and that not everyone is as they see. For example the butler and Madame Leota.

And last but not least is the chemistry the actors have with eachother. They act wonderfully together. Especially Eddie Murphy as Jim Evers and Jennifer Tilly as Madame Leota, the disembodied spirit in the crystal ball.

76 children's movie
This is a Walt Disney movie with Eddie Murphy and in my view a movie for children...but then again the effects are too gruesome for children. So I don't know at what audience this movie is really pointing at. Too scary for children, too boring for adults.

77 Walt would be sick
This was a bad movie mostly because the plot wasn't clearly thought out too well. If Walt Disney was still living today, he would be sick to his stomach due to the zombies, the suicide scene, the master wanting to get "jiggy" with Eddie Murphy's wife, etc. The jokes were also dumb. The rating was also wrong (it should have been PG-13, not PG due to the violence, thematic material, some sexual references and language). The worst part was that at the end, all 999 happy haunts left the mansion. That was stupid because now there can't be a second movie. This would have been better as a TV movie. I hope they make a remake very soon with a better plot. So if you're looking for a better movie, stick with pirates of the Caribbean. Also, skip the movie and go straight to the ride.

78 It's a lot of fun, as long as you don't expect "Pirates."
Comparing the Haunted Mansion to Pirates of the Caribbean is pointless, Pirates was easily the superior film. Coming out of the theatre at a screening the week before it's release, I knew that Haunted Mansion wouldn't reach the large numbers that Pirates pulled in. In know that Eddie Murphey's fan base isn't necessarily spilling over, but I don't really believe that this is the reason for this.

I really enjoyed the Haunted Mansion, and I will definately be buying this movie on DVD, but that's because the movie literally was tailored to people like me: a huge fan of the ride.

Pirates was successful because the movie stands alone as a film. While the movie was based on the ride, the film only made nods to the ride here and there. The film had it's own story, it's own characters, and didn't try to make a story out of an attraction with no real story. In know several people who have never been on the ride, and they absolutely loved this movie (yeah, Johnny Depp helped out a little.)

The Haunted Mansion did the opposite. The movie is literally a translation of the ride to the big screen. While this is good for fans of the ride, it isn't so good for those who have never been on the ride. While I really enjoyed watching for the nods to the ride, I also recognize that someone who didn't see the novelty of the film would merely think it was a mediocre rip-off of the 1999 version of The Haunting.

I guess what I'm saying is that unlike Pirates, if you haven't been on the ride before, you may not enjoy the movie as much as someone who knows the ride.

79 haunted manison
This is actually the FOURTH disney ride to be made into a film, (don't forget the "tower of terror" movie with Kristen Dunst years ago... I thought this was a cute film, mainly for kids of course, but being a fan of the ride and of Eddie Murphy I really enjoyed it. I hope their are some good extras on the dvd.

80 Haunted mansion review
This film was actually good. This is the third film based on a Disney ride. Eddie murphy is pretty humorous. If you have been on the ride, or saw Harry Potter, this movie should not be an issue to watch. Jim Evers (Eddie Murphy) is a real estate agent who promises his kids a vacation because he works all the time. However, his wife, Sarah gets a call on an old mansion and Evers thinks it would be a real good deal. They travel to the place, only to find themselves trapped in a flood - and a mansion full of ghosts. Along the way, they find clues of a 100 year old mystery of a couple who wanted to get married - and the dark mystery surrounding it. Along the way, they have several adventures, including a mozzulieum, a group of signing ghosts, and a spin around on a haunted table.

81 A Fun Ride, as it's supposed to be!
Okay, for those of you who are reading these reviews because you haven't seen the movie and aren't sure whether or not it's worth buying, let me give you some advice. Before reading each review, look first to see if the title of that swashbuckling blockbuster with Johnny Depp pops up. If it does, SKIP THE REVIEW! It's so frustrating to see people taking two completely different movies, with different budgets and directors, and trying to say the smaller one sucks only because the bigger one was so good. That's like shooting down Freddy Vs. Jason because Lord of the Rings is so huge. Hey, they were both made by New Line Cinema, right?
You'll even see some whining about a tarot card with a picture of naked people. Anyone who's offended by this should never take their kids to an art museum. It's classic artwork people! It's not like they cut out a photo from Penthouse and stuck it on there! Geesh!
With that out of my system, I'll discuss the movie. It was really good. I only gave it four stars because it could have been better, but this doesn't mean it's not thoroughly enjoyable. I'm well adjusted to horror movies and I even jumped a few times. Once it gets going, it doesn't slow down much to get into the plot very deep, but isn't that how a ride is supposed to be? And yes, there is a good plot and everything is explained. The reason some people don't get it is because they're not doing something which is becoming quite common with audiences nowadays: Paying Attention.

Without a doubt, I recommend this to younger viewers. If your kids can't handle this, then you should keep them away from other movies just as scary such as Harry Potter, Casper, or The Addams Family. Seriously, if you can take your kid on the ride, your kid can watch this. In fact, the movie even teaches kids a valuable lesson about facing your fears.
The atmosphere here is fantastic. When the family becomes stranded at the house, you really feel it, and just when the suspense and creepiness of the whole scenario starts to settle in, that's when the action hits without ever letting go until the spectacular ending where all hell literally breaks loose!
So watch this movie and remember to judge it for the movie it's supposed to be. If every movie was a huge blockbuster, there would be no such thing as a B-movie and our shelves would look rather empty.

82 Could this be as good as the Ride?
I didn't like this film as much as I liked the Ride at Disney. I thought that this movie messed up the entire concept of The Haunted Mansion. This Movie in my oppinion was only made because Pirates of the Caribbean was a hit film and people wanted their eyes on The Haunted Mansion.

This movie was funny, but still, it was very stupid in the way that it was made. I wish they would have made more out of this movie, like making it more like the ride. I went to disneyland and the first thing I did was go on the haunted mansion ride. This movie makes me never want to ride that ride ever again.

83 Horrible...Drawn out and boring with 3 year old humor.
Do not see this movie...After being pleasantly surprised by Pirates of the Caribbean, we were actually looking forward to this movie...big mistake. It could have been so much better if they would have put some of the PG-13 that went into the PotC movie into this one. Went for something cool got a lame/cutesy Casper movie...

84 HM follows in the footsteps of POTC......NOT!!!!
I was extremely surprised when seeing Pirates,I had so much and I just couldn't wait for the Haunted Mansion,after all it had Eddie Murphy and a lot of ghouls from the original attraction.What could go wrong?
Well we all know the answer to that one,it amounts to nothing...
I've never seen Mr murphy playing such a bad role and don't tell me he's a bad actor,the guy is brilliant but it's pretty obvious that the script wasn't.It feels like a kids movie,but even kids won't like this and are used to more funny things then this.
Yes they wanted to keep the fun aspect of the ride....well...where is it?The jokes and punchlines are 3rd rate to non existant.
And what about the ghouls you ask?well that is still the question that is on my mind as well.Oh sure the hitchhiking ghosts are in it,for a split second and I can't blame Rick Baker for making great zombies but how scary do they become with such a bad screenplay,the answer is simple...nowhere.
This is one hell of a missed opportunity,the ingredients for a movie like this are so rich and wonderfull and yet they concoct such an abomination.I've seen Tower of terror(the movie) and even that one has a nicer story element in it.
Sorry guys,go back to the drawing board and ask Roy for some advice...
Greetings

Gert
Ghent,Belgium

85 Expecting More But Not Less!
I think I was looking forward to this movie, be it's Eddie Murpehy and because I've been seeing the ads for a very long time. The movie exceeds more in the makeup, sets, and costumes department, and decreases in the story department. The movie stars Eddie Murphey, Terence Stamp, Marsha Thompson, and Wallace Shawn, and not all of those characters are among the living. It was a good movie, but I feel that the story could have been much better.

The story is about Jim and Sara Evers, who both are realtors, but Jim focuses hard on work. This is proven when Jim has a couple of drinks with some clients on him and his wifes anniversary. He would also sometimes rather work than spend time with his two kids Megan and Michael. He decides to go away with them over one weekand but Sara gets a call to come to work, and Jim forces them to go stop by on the way to their vaction spot because the house is in a rich location. They go there and find an immense mansion. They meet the head butler Ramsley, the others staff Ezra and Emma, and the master of the house Master Gracey. After heavy rains flood the roads, the family decides to spend the night in the mansion. When Master Gracey requests to talk to Sara, she finds out the story of his tragic past, including the death to his dear love Elizbeth, who looks alot like Sara. Jim and the kids get lost around the mansion, and Jim meets Madame Leota, a fortune teller who is just a head inside of a crystal ball. As ghosts and monsters begin to come as the night, Jim and his kids try to help Sara from being the answer to a longtime curse that has been inside of the haunted mansion.

"The Haunted Mansion," is a horror movie for children, a genre that should have much more in the works. It's a horror movie without gore, and because of Eddie Murphey generates quite a bit of comedy. Alot of people think that Eddie Murphey is slacking off as his career gets old, but I thought that his past three movies were very good, and this one just adds to his list of good movies. I don't see how the critics thought that this was a terrible movie. It wasn't awful, but it did have it's problems with it's story. I could see Disney making a sequal to this movie though. It was better than Disney's other ride movie "The Country Bears," but it wasn't as good as "Pirates of the Caribbean The Curse of the Black Pearl." Worth a check out in the theatres.

ENJOY!

Rated PG for frightening images, thematic elements and language.

86 funny
I went with my ex friend Melinda and we both thought it was a really cool movie. I had seen it before and liked it but it's even better the second time around and i'm eagerly awaiting my third time seing this very fun movie. Note to parents there is a suicide in the beginning that will freak kids 10 and under out and there are other scary scenes thanks to the sound effects.

87 Just Okay
Disney has been making movies about their rides at their theme parks for a while now. Their first one, the Country Bears, was awful and was a complete waste of time and money. After the Country Bears, I wasn't expecting much from their second movie based on a ride, but Pirates of the Carribean was amazing. Then this movie... The Haunted Mansion came next. After Pirates of the Caribbean, I was really expecting a lot, but my hopes weren't completely filled.

The Haunted Mansion starred Eddie Murphy, which was the downfall of the whole movie. Without him, the movie would have been much better. All of his stupid jokes made the movie lose so much.

The story of the movie is slightly different from the backstory of the ride. On the ride, Master Gracey is the narrator. He was a crazy guy who for no apparent reason besides from being a ghost, hung himself. So after that he started haunting his mansion, allowing 1000 happy haunts to share the mansion with him. Everyone else in the mansion eventually died. The maids and butlers hang around and haunt the house, letting living guests in. Master Graceys bride (in the attic scene in the ride) commited suicide since she couldn't cope with her husband to be's death, and her broken heart could be heard throughout the attic. Then there was Madam Leota, who trapped herself in a crystal ball so she would live forever and was able to possess dolls to see outside her ball. 999 silly spooks haunted the house and let guests come through every day trying to find that 1 person to fill up the last spot as a happy haunt.

The movie was based on the ride but was a bit different. It centered on the Evers family who ran a real estate business. They got a call to represent a huge mansion, and Jim Evers (eddie murphy) couldn't resist. Before going on a family vacation, they stopped at the mansion, and the creepy butler told them that they were wanted to stay for dinner. During dinner with Master Gracey, the road flooded and the family was trapped in the house. They agreed to spend the night, and were shown their rooms. Then Eddie Murphy gets called to speak to Master Gracey, and while he is waiting, he finds a secret passage way and gets stuck in it. He eventually finds his way to Madam Leota, where he finds out about the curse on the house. Then Murphy's wife gets a tour of the house from Mr. Gracey himself, and eventually it is found out that the butler was evil, and he ment to kill Murphys wife so she could marry Mr. Gracey because he believed that she was his reincarnated bride to be that was poisoned and died. Leaving out some of the details in case you want to see the movie yourself, eventually the ghosts all get to go to heaven.

The special effects in the movie were amazing, as well as all of the makeup and stuff. Everything in that section was flawless.

But the movie did have some inconsistencys that made it lose some stuff. I didn't like the changes that they made to the story line. They should have kept the story more along the lines of the ride. Also, in movie time, it took eddie murphy a good 3 hours to figure out the house was haunted, even though he was surround by ghosts, who even admited they were ghosts. Another thing. Many times torches would be taken out of a spot, but in the next shot the character who took them out would still be holding the torch, but another one replaced it. And finally, at the end of the movie, the Evers got to keep the house, and they took Madam Leota with them, which is understandable since she lives forever, but they also took the singing heads which should have no longer been haunted since all of the ghosts went to heaven at the end of the movie.

Overall, it was an ok movie. Nothing great, but fun to a Haunted Mansion fan.

88 the greatest movie yet
the movie is a fantastic movie.it's the best movie that has
ever come out in theaters.the director did a fantasic job.
i like the part when megan swipes the spider and says are you
happy now.and he says no.

89 Great Entertainment!
After seeing The Haunted Mansion, my husband and I thought it was a lot of fun. The Disney magic came through very well in its special effects in this movie. We were totally entertained through its entirety and would gladly pay to see it again. Eddie Murphy was good, but limited by the family nature of the film. We liked it because it was funny, serious, scary and entertaining. As big Disney fans, we feel the movie followed the Disneyland ride pretty good in part and we were not disappointed in the entertainment that the Disney company provided in this film. We recommend it simply for the fun of it.

90 One of the worst movies I have seen...
Don't waste your money on this one! The plot was severly lacking and the acting itself was less than desirable. The movie had a few "almost funny" moments but this didn't make up for the rest of the time.

91 A Cute Disney Movie!
The Haunted Mansion is no Pirates of the Caribbean, but its not The Country Bears either. Eddie Murphy does a good job as an overworked dad taking his family to a house he wants to sell. The special effects are very good and some of the Disney magic can be seen. There is even a few scares along the way to make this film somewhat appealing, even though it is very cliched and trys to hard to be funny in certain scenes. Murphy has been better, but he is restrained by the family rating and does what he can with the role. Terrence Stamp is very good as the butler. This film may not be a classic, but it entertains and is more appealing to adults than most family films.

92 Just because Pirates was good doesn't mean this is
All right, Disney is now getting into this "Let's make a movie based off a ride" trend. I saw "Pirates of the Caribbean" and I loved that movie. Yet this movie... what was this? Unlike Pirates, this didn't have a clever story, nor did it have as stunning of a cast.

The plot centers around this mansion that real estate agent is trying to sell. The catch? The real estate agent doesn't tell the family it's haunted *gasp* you mean you SAW that one coming too? I would've never guessed THAT in a million years!

The story is cliched and filled with jokes that attempt to be funny. Nothing really stands out in this movie as far as comedy goes. Eddie Murphey's jokes aren't funny. Some of his jokes may give you a smile but nothing that'll make you laugh. If you do laugh it'll only be a chuckle.

Don't expect anything from Eddie Murphey in this film as far as acting goes either. Ever since Murphey began doing family films he becomes less and less funny.

I'd advise you save your money for this one. If you absolutely must see this movie I'd advise to wait to rent it on VHS or DVD. If you want to see a GOOD movie based off a ride go and see "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl". That's pure entertainment and you'll actually laugh.

93 not that great!
This is my favorite disneyland ride so i was excited about seeing it. man was i dissapointed! yes this movie had some excellant fx and great nods to the ride. the plot was horrible. ha what plot? basically this looked like it was thrown together and it shows! still i am giving it two stars for special effects only and that's it. oh and for jennifer tilly as madame leota(she was the best actor in the movie and she was only a head!)Eddie murphy was annoying as was his kids. you just wanted to smack them! i rank this not as good as pirates but better then country bears. but not by much! Just ride the ride instead!

94 The Haunted Mansion
5 minutes of the beginning, I missed. So, well the rest of this probably-two-hour film I saw. It kept me either laughing or entertained and spooked. A little of all, ya know? I got confused that this movie was in theaters in November. But, It would make more sense If it was in October. But, experincing the ride was NOTHING compared to the movie.

The story is basic. Jim and Jane Evers of Evers and Evers Real Estate are going to a vaction at this place (can't think of the name at the moment) with the kids, and they wind up at The Haunted Mansion, (a.k.a the Gracey Mansion) where it rains terribly, and they stay for the night. The seller of the home lost his wife Elizabeth a very long time ago, and thinks Jane is Elizabeth coming back or something. Jim finds Madame Leota and she tells him there is a curse on the house and to get a key from Elizabeth's tomb. DUH! He gets it, but the army of the living dead battles him. (That part is kinda prodictable, although) So, he comes back and he has to open a chest with the key, to get the REAL note Elizabeth wrote to him, and then the ghost Butler locks the kids in the chest threating to I think "Kill Them????" But duh, they don't die. He gives the note to the owner of the home when he's about to marry Jane, and Elizabeth's ghost appears, the owner dies, and goes to heaven with her and the owner gives the house to them, and they don't do anything with it and take Madame Leota home. The End.

Madame Leota, personally was my favorite character, because she was funny and wise. And over all, I highly recomend this film.

95 Felt like it expanded upon the ride
Maybe I'm simple but I felt like the film did a good job of putting a story to the ride and showing more and beyond what we've become accustomed to seeing at Disneyland/Disneyworld. I wasn't expecting a masterpiece and figured this would be more about visuals and sets than anything else. I came away entertained and satisfied. It had funny moments sure, but that wasn't necessarily what drove me to see the film.