Does Disney finally have a hit with Haunted Mansion movie? With bomb after bomb at the box office, critics and moviegoers alike are wondering if Disney can recover. And with the record-breaking Barbenheimer weekend, is there even room at the box office for another hit?
Answer: Yes and yes.
Let me just lay it out there. Hollywood has been shifting for many years. TV shows and movies all seem to have an agenda – which sometimes is entirely appropriate and sometimes very unwelcome in places where it doesn’t belong. I attended a preview of this movie somewhat hesitant but cautiously optimistic.
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Haunted Mansion movie summary
The Haunted Mansion movie is not your typical kids movie, animated blockbuster, or action hero series. It’s a movie based on a popular ride of the same name at Disneyland and Disney’s Magic Kingdom. But can you really make a well plotted movie based on a… ride?
In this case, the storyline of Haunted Mansion seems to be well thought out. A single mother, Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and her son, Travis (Chase Dillon) make a move to Louisiana to escape their past and embrace her familial roots. And their fresh start includes the purchase of an abandoned mansion found on Zillow, for what I’m guessing was a low, low price.
Travis immediately senses something isn’t right at the house. I expected the story to then fall into the trope of kid-sees-all, parent-doesn’t-believe-kid-until-it’s-too-late. That’s not the direction it took at all. Gabbie sees what Travis sees and they plan to leave ASAP. But the house doesn’t let them. Wherever they go, the “hitchhikers” will follow.
Their new plan is to enlist a cast of characters to rid them of the ghosts in their lives, and each one gets tethered to the house. So Gabbie brings in a priest (Owen Wilson), a spectral photographer (LaKeith Stanfield), a medium (Tiffany Haddish), and a history professor (Danny DeVito) to try to solve the mysteries of the house.
At this point, it sounds like a zany comedy with a wacky cast of characters. It’s not. It’s got a well-crafted story told with poignancy and humor and it just happens to have a great ensemble cast. In fact, LaKeith Stanfield is my new favorite.
Look for cameos
You’ll also appreciate plenty of other recognizable actors in smaller roles, simply because they seemed to think it would be a lot of fun. Look for Marilu Henner, Dan Levy, Winona Ryder, Jared Leto (completely unrecognizable by voice or face as the Hatbox Ghost), and Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota.
Enjoy the ride
I threw out the name Madame Leota as if that should mean something to you. And if you’re a fan of the Haunted Mansion ride, there’s a lot you’ll appreciate about the Haunted Mansion movie. You’ll see the paintings that change as you walk past them. You’ll see the attic and the bride who lost so many husbands. You’ll see the room that grows taller. And you’ll definitely see Madame Leota in her crystal ball.
If you haven’t been on the ride, it absolutely doesn’t matter. This is a standalone story and any references to the ride really just feel like easter eggs for the theme park enthusiasts (including me). But there is a caution.
Is it for kids?
This is not a typical kids movie. It’s rated PG-13 and that feels appropriate. There are some heavy emotional aspects of the story and it is definitely mid-level scary. Families with older kids will enjoy it. My 16 year old loved it and my husband apparently thought there were jump scares (I didn’t jump!). If your tween can handle the scary stuff, go for it. But I’d definitely leave the littles at home.
Final Thoughts of the Haunted Mansion movie
Overall, I was hoping for good popcorn entertainment and it’s exactly what I got. An enjoyable story, well told, well acted, and just downright entertaining. Leave the thinking at home and go back to the movies!
