Haunt

A perfectly average horror flick, Haunt follows several friends as they’re forced to fend for their lives within an extreme haunted house. Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods deliver a watchable endeavor that fares best in its first and third acts, as the picture features a decent opening that effectively establishes the (admittedly familiar) characters and a climactic stretch that’s as brutal and visceral as one might’ve hoped – with, unfortunately, the film’s midsection suffering from a somewhat repetitive and less-than-engrossing feel. (It doesn’t help, certainly, that the protagonists do have a tendency to behave like horror-movie victims.) There’s little doubt, then, that Haunt benefits substantially from Beck and Woods’ stylish visuals and a series of sympathetic performances (Katie Stevens turns in solid work as the requisite final girl, to be sure), and it’s clear, too, that the movie’s villains, when they’re finally revealed, contribute heavily to the progressively compelling vibe (although it might’ve been nice to get some insight into their mysterious motives) – which effectively does cement Haunt’s place as an erratic yet generally satisfying bit of genre filmmaking.

**1/2 out of ****

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