Blu-ray Review: ‘Haunter’ Does More Than Simply Haunt

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Average: 4 (1 vote)

CHICAGO – Director Vincenzo Natali’s name always gets my attention. You always get the sense tha the’s trying to do something new. He first came to prominence with “Cube” (1997), which is a gorily stylistic bit of cheap psychological horror masquerading as science fiction. “Nothing” (2003) put two men in a literal void reminiscent in some ways of the classic and surreal Chuck Jones Looney Tune “Duck Amuck”. “Splice” (2009) offered an updated Frankenstein myth mixed with sexual politics and a critique of profit-driven genetic engineering.

HollywoodChicago.com Blu-ray rating: 3.5/5.0
Rating: 3.5/5.0

So, it’s a little surprising to see him tackle something as careworn as the classic ghost story. “Haunter” has been called a scary version of “Groundhog’s Day”. In reality, from its opening frame, it’s clear that Natali is after far more than simple scares or genre mashup. He’s treading old ground in surprisingly novel fashion (especially compared to his mainstream peers). This is spooky stuff with great performances by Abigail Breslin as the lead, Lisa, and the always compelling Stephen McHattie as her creepy-as-hell nemesis. But “Haunter” isn’t as conventionally scary as a straight horror film would be. It’s not content to simply deliver one jolt after another. Instead, the film is more interested in the imaginatively conceived mystery presented by its story.

Synopsis

Lisa and her family died in 1986, but only she knows it. She tries desperately to awaken her family and touch base with the land of the living only to be repeatedly warned by a mysterious figure that doing so will end in punishments she can’t possibly imagine. As her past becomes intertwined with the present of a family living in the house, she realizes that their fate is also at stake. This forces a confrontation between the living and the dead.

Haunter

Image credit: IFC Midnight

Special Features

  • Audio commentary with director Vincenzo Natali
  • Audio commentary with writer Brian King
  • The complete storyboards of “Haunter” by Vincenzo Natali
  • Behind-the-scenes interviews
  • Trailer

“Haunter” stars Abigail Breslin and Stephen McHattie. It was released on Blu-ray and DVD on Feb. 11, 2014.

HollywoodChicago.com contributor Dave Canfield

By DAVE CANFIELD
Contributor
HollywoodChicago.com
dave@hollywoodchicago.com

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