Everyone knows that Hollywood can’t come up with original ideas anymore, and Charles and Thomas Guard’s “The Uninvited” proves that film studios like to rehash old story lines and make them “unique.” This film snagged its plot from Ji-woon Kim’s “A Tale of Two Sisters,” an effective psychological horror movie, and by every account fails to compare to the source material.
All of the pieces are in place for “The Uninvited” to play out like any other PG-13 horror flick. There’s the cute and shy girl (Emily Browning) who starts seeing visions of her dead mother who died in a fire, and the understanding sibling (Arielle Kebbel) who is the only other person that actually listens to the main character. Finally, there’s the oblivious father (David Strathaim) whom ironically is romantically involved with the antagonist, portrayed well by Elizabeth Banks.
Overall, the Guard Brothers do a decent job at creating tension in the film, even if the jumpy scenes are mostly centered on the familiar “don’t open that!” ploy. For the most part, they are predictable, but still pack a punch. Audiences are likely to flinch when the currently trendy contorted bodies start wobbling out of the shadows, or when random spooky images flash on the screen, and especially when the creepy little kids blurt out the “you’re next!” line.
My complaints are not with the acting or the general direction of the film, I only wish that Hollywood would step it up when it comes to creating new horror movies. We may be waiting a long time before that happens, but in the meantime, I think foreign filmmakers should keep their scripts tightly in their grasps. The best horror films that have been produced recently have been amalgamations of several genres, and then glossed over with a spooky sheen – I recommend James Gunn’s “Slither.”
If you’re bored this weekend and you want to have some fun, “The Uninvited” should suffice your need for amusement, but it’s nothing spectacular. This movie is the close relative of “The Ring” and “The Grudge,” and you’ll be able to tell by the first scene. It’s what I like to call “horror-lite” – a scary movie for people that aren’t sure if they can handle being scared. “The Uninvited” is a good test run for your timid roommate or even as a movie date, but if you’re an avid horror fan, this one won’t satisfy your hunger.
