I think some are (justifiably) miffed by getting tricked into watching this versus the Topher Grace movie of the same name that came out the same year. Easy mistake to make and I have no clue how this little movie gets away with having the same title as that much better and much higher budget movie.
But to judge this one on its merits, while I do not expect it to win an Academy Award in any category, it wasn't a 3/10 star movie. I'd say more like a 5/10 putting it in proper context of what it is.
The premise isn't particularly complex. A bunch of bros get the mind to try to scare a person who wants to join their little guy club by making them go up to a haunted mansion and back with a camera on. And, of course, they learn to their chagrin that it really is haunted, and by a very nasty spirit at that! And of course there's the hijinks that follow.
For a low budget horror movie it does ok. There are some good scares and a creepy underlying story to go with it. The story does get a bit confusing. For example, the wife is portrayed as a victim initially but then becomes the main antagonist for whatever reason. Her motive for doing what she's doing is never clear. The opening scene isn't explained at all. The dreaded swimming pool seems to have zero point other than it's scary. And the characters sometimes come off as pretty dumb and unrealistic in behaviour. Particularly when they enter the house after seeing the footage from the ill-fated friend they sent over there first.
But again, we're talking about a B horror film here. And in that context it's ok. Not great but ok.
But to judge this one on its merits, while I do not expect it to win an Academy Award in any category, it wasn't a 3/10 star movie. I'd say more like a 5/10 putting it in proper context of what it is.
The premise isn't particularly complex. A bunch of bros get the mind to try to scare a person who wants to join their little guy club by making them go up to a haunted mansion and back with a camera on. And, of course, they learn to their chagrin that it really is haunted, and by a very nasty spirit at that! And of course there's the hijinks that follow.
For a low budget horror movie it does ok. There are some good scares and a creepy underlying story to go with it. The story does get a bit confusing. For example, the wife is portrayed as a victim initially but then becomes the main antagonist for whatever reason. Her motive for doing what she's doing is never clear. The opening scene isn't explained at all. The dreaded swimming pool seems to have zero point other than it's scary. And the characters sometimes come off as pretty dumb and unrealistic in behaviour. Particularly when they enter the house after seeing the footage from the ill-fated friend they sent over there first.
But again, we're talking about a B horror film here. And in that context it's ok. Not great but ok.