The Haunted Mansion

Inspired by the Disney attraction, The Haunted Mansion follows ambitious real-estate agent Jim Evers (Eddie Murphy) as he and his family (Marsha Thomason’s Sara, Marc John Jefferies’ Michael, and Aree Davis’ Megan) find themselves trapped within the title abode. Filmmaker Rob Minkoff, armed with a script by David Berenbaum, delivers a slick and briskly-paced endeavor that never quite becomes as entertaining or compelling as one might’ve hoped, as the movie, which runs a short-yet-not-short-enough 87 minutes, has been infused with an oddly, distractingly meandering feel that prevents the viewer from connecting to the material or characters – with this particularly true of an underwhelming first half in which exceedingly little of interest seems to occur. And although Murphy and his various costars, including Terence Stamp, Jennifer Tilly, and Wallace Shawn, provide some amusement from time to time, and although the intricate sets and seamless special effects are impressive, The Haunted Mansion ultimately progresses into a (perhaps predictably) frenetic final third that’s hardly as exciting or satisfying as Minkoff has undoubtedly intended – with the end result a completely forgettable piece of work that might hold some appeal for very small children.

** out of ****