The Amityville Horror **
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Melissa George, Jesse James, Jimmy Bennett, Chloë Grace Moretz, Rachel Nichols, Philip Baker Hall
Director: Andrew Douglas
Running Length: 1:25
MPAA Classification: R

In 1974, in the town of Amityville, Rondald DeFeo went on a murderous rampage and killed the six other members of his family with a shotgun, shooting them as they slept. In 1975, George (Reynolds) and Kathy Lutz (George) move into the house, not knowing its history. They see a good deal on a big house. The Lutzs move into the house with their three kids, and a few days later, things start to go badly.

George's easygoing ways turn menacing. The daughter, Chelsea, makes an imaginary friend that bears the same name as the DeFeo's murdered daughter. Windows open on their own, voices can be heard, and a priest flees an exorcism attempt.

I had hopes for this movie, but found myself disappointed. There is potential, but in the end, the film does not deliver more than a typical slasher-movie bad guy with axe chase scene. The leads, Reynolds and George, are not engaging, and I never really felt for their characters.

Then, there is the "based on real events" caption. The Lutz's story is generally considered to be fiction these days, and perhaps a little more leeway should have been taken with the story. Better special effects do not make a movie better, story does. Unfortunately, "The Amityville Horror" can be added to the list of forgettable horror movies that have come out this year. And that list is growing quickly...