The Amityville Horror | | Cast : | Ryan Reynolds, Melissa George, Jimmy Bennett (III) | | Director : | Andrew Douglas (IV) | | Studio : | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | | Format : | Color, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | April 15, 2005 | | DVD Released Date : | October 04, 2005 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), French (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 08, 2005 | | Summary | The Amityville Retread | Content
 | Is this remake scarier than the original 1979 film? Yes. Is it better than the original film? Yes. Is this a good movie? Um...yes? This remake is entertaining, but it's not that great. This is much better than the original horror film because it doesn't overstay its welcome and is actually pretty intense.
Ryan Reynolds actually does a decent job as the father who goes insane in the infamous house, and the style of the movie is very good, creating the much needed creepy atmosphere. I hate to say this because it sounds contrived, but when I saw this, it was almost like I'd seen it before. Yes I know it's a REMAKE, but that's not what I mean. The movie and story resembled 'The Shining' too much, even though I know they had somewhat different stories. It just didn't feel that fresh as the remake of 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' did two years prior.
Though forgettable, the movie is much better than the original movie, which I thought was overlong and boring as hell. The remake improves greatly on many aspects, but still comes up short. It's better to rent this one and try it out first. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 07, 2005 | | Summary | Goofy update of a lame original | Content
| Surprise Surprise... 26 years after the lame and cheesy original movie The Amityville Horror we get, well.... The Amityville Horror (2005). This update only very loosley resembles the 1979 film. Here we get subplots not previously exposed such as an Indian massacre that occurred centuries ago on the doomed Ocean Ave. sight and Mr. Lutz (Ryan Reynolds) thinking his family is actually a bunch of crazed demons that need to be extinguished. Besides that, the house is actually transformed from the creepy statliness of the modest 1928 original Dutch Colonial to the colassal granduer of a 1692 mini-castle. Yes, it's all very fantastical and going more for effect than staying true to Jay Anson's "non-fictional" account. Also, it seems like minor details are all changed from the original simply for the sake of being new and different.
Really, this just kind of retreads the chilling creepiness of movies like Sixth Sense, The Ring, and numerous other later-day scare flicks. It utilizes updated effects and whacko character paranoia to achieve it's unravelling horror. By the end of the 90-minute travesty, you really don't care what happens to any of these under-developed characters, but wonder if they will end up in a mental home (the kids) or in prison (Mr. Lutz). Anyway, just as in the original... the flick is much more of a fade-out than a conclusion.
On the plus side, Ryan Reynolds (yummy six-pack in shirtless daranged boat-house scene) and Melissa George (nice rack) make for a more sightly duo than James Brolin and Margot Kidder. But alas, its not worth the price of admission just for a lil eye candy. More like a star-and-a-half, but I'm feeling generous today! |
| Rating | | | Date | August 07, 2005 | | Summary | Reynolds goes psycho in a not so good remake of the original stinkpot | Content
| re-make of the not so great original has The Lutz Family, husband George Lutz played by Ryan Reynolds (Blade: Trinity, The Alarmist) and Mrs. Lutz played by Melissa George (Tv's Alias, Sugar & Spice). They move in and find out that there was a murder that happened in that house. Soon, things start to boil up as the man of the house, George Lutz hears voices to tell him to kill his family because they are demons. "House's dont kill people, people kill people." explains George. Mrs. Lutz thinks something array as she sees her husband is transforming into a monster. Not much fun really, just like the original with some pretty boring blood splattering moments though Reynolds is very convincing in his psycho-possessed performance and some pretty good direction. Also starring Philip Baker Hall (Boogie Nights, Magnolia) as the priest. Michael Bay Produced and he also did Texas Chainsaw Massacre which I have no clue why he produced that and this. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 06, 2005 | | Summary | A Gem Amongst Horror Movie Rubble | Content
| Reviewers and "movie-experts" need to sort their thoughts out and clearly think about what they're watching. While this Amityville remake may not include an Oscar performance by Russell Crowe, who said it was supposed to? People, a horror movie is, well...a horror movie. The director's intentions are not to wow Ebert and Roper with stellar performance or heart-wrenching drama. The director creates a horror flick in order to entertain through terrifying/horrifying situations.
This Amityville Horror remake does an excellent job of jolting your heart out of step. With his gory, and often arm chair-clench-worthy scenes, Andrew Douglas does an excellent job of shocking the film's viewers. He also has a knack for keeping the film at a steady pace, cutting out unnecessary, slow scenes, while keeping the scares fresh and interesting.
Viewers will also find that Mr. Douglas did an amazing job of eliciting a surprisingly convincing part out of calm-gone-crazed step-father, George (Ryan Reynolds). I greatly enjoyed his particular view on what aspects of the actual Lutz story to include and toss out. He honed the original movie's plotline down to a razor-point, elaborating on George's restlessness and unnatural edgyness, and focusing wholly on his thinking that his family is a group of monsters.
I purchased a ticket for this movie beforehand, and saw the flick its first day in theaters, being a big fan of the novel, (whether it be true or untrue.) I entered the theater expecting the typical horror movie crud that's been, as of late, spewed out into the public. (I'm referring to films such as: Darkness Falls, Boogeyman, and The Grudge.) I was caught off guard, and I left the theater sputtering "classic" lines given by George Lutz, ("We're friends, and we're having fun...right?!"), and raving about its scream scenes. I saw the film twice more, dragging my parents and girlfriend into the mix.
While this movie doesn't compare to epic trilogies, Star Wars and LOTR, or to classics like Raging Bull and Casablanca, I feel that it should have its own title as the best horror movie of 2005. Thus, I gave it 5 out of 5 stars. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 01, 2005 | | Summary | A little different than original but for the better. | Content
| This one I thought was done really well. It had a few things in it that the original did not have. The graphics in this one are (duh!!!) better than the original. |
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