The Uninvited (C or 2/4 stars)
16 yr. old Anna (Emily Browning) returns home after spending time in a psychiatric facility following her mother's tragic death in 'The Uninvited', remake of a Korean horror film A Tale of Two Sisters (yes, another Asian adaptation), & directed by British newcomers, Charles & Thomas Guard. In the wake of her mom's death (she was ill, but died in a fire), Anna experiences partial amnesia & haunting nightmares. She's happy to come home to her weary father (David Strathairn), & her sassy sister, Alex (Arielle Kebbel), but is disheartened to see that her mom's caretaker, Rachael (Elizabeth Banks) is her dad's new girlfriend.
Since Anna can't remember specifics from the night of her mother's accident/death, she has a lot of questions - mainly for her sister, Alexis, and for a boyfriend who claims that he saw what happened that fateful night. Anna is then visited during her sleep by a host of ghosts (including her own mother), who warns her that Rachael has some evil intentions. Problem is, the ghosts seem to be appearing while Anna is awake. Together, Anna & her sister must convince their dad that his new fiancee is not who she claims she is. Can the girls persuade dad into believing that their soon-to-be stepmom is lethal (literally & figuratively)? Everything culminates in a fairly surprising climax that will make some people want to rewind & watch the film all over again under closer inspection.
'The Uninvited' may appear to be a clone of every other Asian remake there's been; but its surprisingly okay (when pitted against those inferior works). It goes in slightly different direction(s) than you'll assume (which may confuse the masses of horror fans who expect another ill-equipped, linear, formulaic horror flick). The atmosphere is creepy, there are a few 'scary' moments, but this ghost story is actually a notch better than most others (it still has the awful horror film cliches, but the acting is notably stronger, as is the dialogue). Emily Browning has one of those faces that translates very well to the screen. It's classically beautiful. And her American accent is exceptional. Arielle Kebbel brings subtle wit & energy to the role of Alex. David Strathairn is underused, here. And Elizabeth Banks nails the wicked stepmom role. She's clearly a beautiful woman. Yet there's also something about her face that casts a shadow of doubt; a dash of evil.
The main problem with 'The Uninvited' is that its fantastic climax is not quite enough to make you forget how unremarkable everything before it was. Not bad, just unremarkable; lulling. You almost figure that something crazy must happen in the last 5-10 min. in order to substantiate how unremarkable everything has been going all along. And those last 5-10 min. are almost worth the wait. Because of this, the movie looks better in hindsight rather than as it's unfolding (those who love this film will re-watch it to see if the story holds water). I commend the stylish direction, decent acting, & handsome production. That said, this IS a ghost story; and not one for the ages (more cheesy than scary). And the brunt of the film is simply not good nor original enough to support the great twist ending.
Since Anna can't remember specifics from the night of her mother's accident/death, she has a lot of questions - mainly for her sister, Alexis, and for a boyfriend who claims that he saw what happened that fateful night. Anna is then visited during her sleep by a host of ghosts (including her own mother), who warns her that Rachael has some evil intentions. Problem is, the ghosts seem to be appearing while Anna is awake. Together, Anna & her sister must convince their dad that his new fiancee is not who she claims she is. Can the girls persuade dad into believing that their soon-to-be stepmom is lethal (literally & figuratively)? Everything culminates in a fairly surprising climax that will make some people want to rewind & watch the film all over again under closer inspection.
'The Uninvited' may appear to be a clone of every other Asian remake there's been; but its surprisingly okay (when pitted against those inferior works). It goes in slightly different direction(s) than you'll assume (which may confuse the masses of horror fans who expect another ill-equipped, linear, formulaic horror flick). The atmosphere is creepy, there are a few 'scary' moments, but this ghost story is actually a notch better than most others (it still has the awful horror film cliches, but the acting is notably stronger, as is the dialogue). Emily Browning has one of those faces that translates very well to the screen. It's classically beautiful. And her American accent is exceptional. Arielle Kebbel brings subtle wit & energy to the role of Alex. David Strathairn is underused, here. And Elizabeth Banks nails the wicked stepmom role. She's clearly a beautiful woman. Yet there's also something about her face that casts a shadow of doubt; a dash of evil.
The main problem with 'The Uninvited' is that its fantastic climax is not quite enough to make you forget how unremarkable everything before it was. Not bad, just unremarkable; lulling. You almost figure that something crazy must happen in the last 5-10 min. in order to substantiate how unremarkable everything has been going all along. And those last 5-10 min. are almost worth the wait. Because of this, the movie looks better in hindsight rather than as it's unfolding (those who love this film will re-watch it to see if the story holds water). I commend the stylish direction, decent acting, & handsome production. That said, this IS a ghost story; and not one for the ages (more cheesy than scary). And the brunt of the film is simply not good nor original enough to support the great twist ending.