Rish Outfield's reviews
A fun, scary ride. This had a terrifying trailer and was sky-high on my anticipation list. To prepare ourselves for this cinematic fright, tyranist and I told 'real-life ghost stories' before entering the theatre (this was definitely one to see on the big screen). So we had a good time. The first half is very, very scary. There were shrieks from all around, and my sister had her eyes firmly closed during more intense moments. Catherine Zeta-Jones is so damn good-looking it's hard to be interested in her character. Lily Taylor--who I've always despised--really carried the show. She shined. Liam Neeson was great, as usual, but I kept expecting him to use his Jedi powers to save everyone, and it didn't happen. The house was cool. There was an awesome beheading--one I hadn't expected. Great special effects, particularly ghost children and statuary that comes to life. Still, most of the scares were traditional, such as things jumping out or appearing all of a sudden. There was great ambience and frightening sound effects. Unfortunately, not all of the ghosts are evil, and when this is revealed, much of the terror dissipates.
Overall, there were really good scares and fun dialogue. The Haunting was a big hit, and it was great to see that much money spent on a Horror movie. Still, things were pretty tidy at the end, almost an incredibly happy ending. A lot of people dwelt on that, but I chose not to, and had a better experience because of it.
Best Scare: A skeleton jumps out, almost causing bladder release.

The tyranist's thoughts
Before I start talking about this one, I have to confess that the one time I watched the original film, I fell asleep. I can't remember more than about ten minutes of it. To my credit, I think it was like the fourth entry in an all night marathon, but still, I don't fall asleep that easy. Everything that didn't work for me in the first one worked so well in this one. The score is haunting, the actors do a fine job, the script is well done, the plot is credible. It all simmers into a big pot of fear that is so fun to watch. I have to admit, folks, that for the first time I can remember I involuntarily screamed. You'll know the part when you see it, because you will scream as well. Unfortunately, this movie requires a theatre or possibly a very good sound system to really enjoy. Still, even if you don't have those things, you will enjoy this exceptionally well made horror film. Allow me to say that I still hold firm in my, you can't really make a haunted house story that is scary. The Haunting, unlike its predecessor, is a good old-fashioned ghost story.