Disney’s latest attempt to turn a popular theme park ride into a blockbuster film is looking like another flop. Early reviews for “Haunted Mansion” make it clear this supernatural comedy is neither funny nor frightening enough to attract crowds.
Starring Rosario Dawson, Lakeith Stanfield and Tiffany Haddish, “Haunted Mansion” follows a mother and son who recruit ghost hunters to exorcise their new home. But critics say the talented cast is wasted on a dull, poorly written film.
“What should have been a lighthearted romp is instead a rather dreary, unfunny dud,” writes Jeanne Kaplan of Kaplan vs Kaplan. Other reviewers blast the movie’s weak jokes, boring action and inconsistent tone.
It’s a far cry from Disney’s successful “Pirates of the Caribbean,” another ride-based film from 2003. While “Pirates” spawned a billion dollar franchise, “Haunted Mansion” can’t seem to recapture that magic.
The original Eddie Murphy version bombed in 2003. Now this reboot sits at just 52% on Rotten Tomatoes. For a major studio comedy, that’s scarily bad.
“Haunted Mansion” is the latest in a string of box office disappointments for Disney. Recent films like “Lightyear” and “Strange World” also failed to find audiences. And with rising production costs, Disney’s movie division desperately needs a hit.
Some call the film a “loving homage” to the classic Disneyland ride. But most agree this stale reboot won’t attract fright fans or families. With uninspired writing and uneven direction, “Haunted Mansion” feels like a generic horror-comedy audiences have seen countless times before.
Disney may hope star power from Haddish and Owen Wilson will draw crowds. But even they can’t save what one critic calls a “tonally incompetent” mess.
For a company built on magic, Disney is struggling to conjure any lately, either in theaters or theme parks. “Haunted Mansion” is unlikely to reverse that trend. This ghostly crowd-pleaser lacks the spirit to attract major crowds.
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