I love Simulated Haunted Houses. A haunted house put together in a mall, house, etc. where the spooks are made-up and created with masks, flashing strobe lights, and actors dressed in costumes. Those that are done right, at least. And, the more creative they are, the better I think the affect is on spook factor, as well as walking away saying out loud, "Dayum! That was good!". Haunted Houses can get the blood going and provide an adrenaline rush, once again...if done right.
Well...after watching Haunt 2019 I don't know that I want to go back to any haunted houses. (I also felt that way after watching Hell House LLC 2015, but that's for another conversation) It's been my nightmare of stepping into a Haunted House that turns out to be a real haunt. One in which you can't escape and your next step could be your last! Haunt takes us there.
Also, if you feel that haunted houses don't really reach that level of satisfaction for you, Haunt 2019 would still be worth a watch. It brings the experience of a Haunted House to another level!
Haunt starts out as a typical slasher flick where a group of College-aged friends are, through the storyline, brought to a remotely located, fairly hidden, Haunted House. There is a bit of mystery and intrigue from the beginning of the movie that pulls us, the watcher, in to separate this movie from other generic slashers.
Once the group of potential victims enter the simulated haunted house...that's when the real fun begins. By fun, I mean for the movie-goer...not the characters in the movie. While walking through the Haunted House, they quickly discover that what they are witnessing
is not fake, against what they had expected. They also find themselves in a position where they cannot escape the maze created by the villains of the movie.
And, speaking of the villains, they are all dressed as well-known Halloween favorites: a clown, vampire, devil, witch, and zombie. However, the real treat is what lies beneath the mask, which, thankfully, isn't revealed until later in the movie. When this happens, the mystery and intrigue raise to another level. Who are these people? Why are they doing this? And what is up with....their faces...?!?
Haunt was produced by Eli Roth, so when we talk about the gore factor for this movie, it's no surprise that it is an 8 out of 10. The death scenes (as you know they are often given my Bloody O' Graph rating for "Body Count": 8/10) are graphic, and feel quite real. The jumps are pretty good, and not always expected. I feel, given the villains, the storyplay, and outcome (I love the ending's little twist), Haunt has a good level of originality, as I show in my rating.
Aside from the Bloody O' Graph ratings I gave Haunt, I really enjoyed this one. It was tense, I wasn't sure how it was going to end, and it was bloody fun, as well. I highly recommend Haunt to anyone that finds what I wrote about it interesting. Or just want to try something new. It's a great addition to the Horror family.
So, enjoy!
Haunt
Released: 2019
Rating: R
Director & Writer: Scott Beck & Bryan Woods
IMDB Rating: 6.3 out of 10
Rotten Tomatoes: 71%
Free Streaming as of Blog posting: Shudder
Rent as of Blog posting: All Major Rental Streaming Providers ($2.99 - $5.99)
Buy as of Blog posting: All Major Purchasing Streaming Providers ($14.99 - $16.99)
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