The Hopewell Haunting (2023) User Reviews

Pretty Good For What It is

[thalassafischer · 6/10 · 7 April 2024]

First I want to commend the film makers on their stunningly accurate portrayal of how rural Appalachian people behave, especially old people. There was an eerie backwoods realism to The Hopewell Haunting, all the way down to the illiterate but nice young husband with what appeared to be an intellectually disabled wife. As creepy as it totally was, that this disabled woman did not say a word for the entire film and was led around like a small child or an Alzheimer's patient, even that icky detail was on point.

The haunting screams are also genuinely disturbing.

The plot itself is fair to middling. I would have appreciated a clearer backstory as a conclusion to the film. It honestly bugged me that two - possibly three - of the characters were in their 70s yet not one of these old men had any clue about this ancient murder in their own hometown where they'd lived for their entire lives.

Dull, Filled with Unanswered Questions

[dacman121-1 · 3/10 · 14 October 2023]

The premise is interesting, but never fully explored. Seemingly, we have a man of God who appears to be struggling with his faith, but this is never developed. It is a familiar trope, but one that always has potential. Here it is casually suggested.

Another interesting choice is the film's setting. In Kentucky during the 1930's adds to the mood, but again, it is not explored.

There are no answers provided. My biggest question is whose handkerchief is that? He is willing to part with it at the end, so did it belong to his estranged love? Was that who her buried? Far too many unanswered questions here.

Don't write edit and direct.

[thk-20882 · 7 April 2024]

You'll love this if you don't need a plot or story. Great darkly shot scenes where you don't see anything. Mind numbing dialogue and repetitive dull soundtrack. Old snot rag is the basis of the film that never gets explained or developed. The only terror I experienced was due to the fact that I watched the entire production. Did everyone in rural Kentucky wear brand new clothes? They did in this.

If you really want to enjoy this you're going to need to drink multiple Mint Juleps. I believe that the well of Hope in Hopewell has run dry. The only haunting you experience after viewing this is the terror you realize how much time you've lost.

Slow burn, great ambiance, good film

[Ryan-Levis-Victoria · 7/10 · 15 October 2023]

Firstly, the film uses excellent ambiance and sound to draw the audience in. The cinematography lends itself to the period. The relationship tension serves to set the tone of the film up until the catharsis. It teases jump scares, relying more on suspense; delivering a truely scintillating sequence between the haunt and the lead. Undoubtedly, a good after midnight film when you don't want something too scary but want something gripping.

The dialogue could have been better linked to the bible; It would have made the character's return to faith more concrete and enjoyable. The jaded nature of the protagonist makes the character arc quite satisfying, even though it's somewhat understated. It's beauty is in its minimalism, and the set does a lot of work for the feel of the film.

Unanswered questions allow the audience to imagine their own narrative and is a welcome style choice.

Simple but effective

[reuman11-206-393234 · 8/10 · 12 August 2023]

There is nothing elaborate or groundbreaking about this movie. It's simple. But it was a very effective movie. The ambience was riddled with dark fear. Don't expect a thrill ride. But, I have I admit, I watched it at 1am and ended up turning on the light. It was very well done for what it is, a time-piece horror. I doubt they had a particularly large budget, but they definitely did what they could with what they had. The acting was good as well. I think you should watch it, I'm glad I did.

Something I wonder is if the house was just a set or an actual house that exists somewhere. I wouldn't want to be in there alone.

Great horror/suspense

[LavaLampGlobules · 7/10 · 29 March 2024]

This film was enjoyable to watch and is worth finishing despite the sometimes slow pace it presents. There is a certain humility to this film with regards to what is common in horror being made along side it.

If you are used to typical derivative horror film making styles, this could be a divisive viewing for you. It does contain mediocre acting, and low budget sets but it also does not try to be bigger than it's own britches in that regard. Those qualities don't take away from the film. You simply accept that this is what it is and let the story guide you. It is easy to emphasize with the characters.

I wouldn't ever view this again, but I am glad that I saw it.

I can't call it a perfect film... but I really want to!

[dwjgardiner · 8/10 · 20 October 2023]

If you like slow paced horror, dripping with atmosphere, tension and layers of story told only through visuals, implications, and audio cues, this is it. This is the movie you need to watch, now.

This film won't appeal to everyone, as the reviews unfortunately reveal, but there is a ticking heart to this film that casual horror viewers won't be able to appreciate.

Subtlety.

The story never gets bombastic. It never becomes too grand or overly ambitious. It stays grounded in a cold harsh 1930s reality. Delivering on that reality with drawn out tension crafted to a nearly perfect degree through great, but subtle, cinematography, excellent sound design and truly moody music.

Unfortunately there are a couple moments where the budget of the film shows through, one of which being a glaring error where an entire crew member can be seen on set for a single brief shot, but overall they do a good job of disguising a lot of the more low budget elements.

Unfortunately, the moments where the budget does show through, mainly in a particular sequence where they show a bit too much of the "creature", knock a couple stars off this films rating.

With slightly better effects--or a little more clever disguising of those less convincing elements--this could be a masterpiece of horror.

The story itself is simple, and leaves you with a lot of lingering questions, but the ambiguity is deeply intriguing, and there are enough subtle story elements sprinkled throughout the film to hint toward a possible answer to the mystery.

This is a film that wants you to think and figure things out on your own. It rarely holds your hand and leaves you both figuratively and literally in the dark, allowing for only murky and speculative answers to the questions it asks.

This is by design, and if that is not the type of movie you enjoy, then don't watch it, but if you like a bit of ambiguity to your horror, if you like to be left with lingering questions just as unsettling as the events that took place, you won't be disappointed here.

Fun slow burn period piece

[danfeere · 9/10 · 28 October 2023]

Was a good movie, and heard someone say on here that there is a plot hole about the handkerchief, however it is explained during a car ride scene where the couple is in the back, and the pastors friend explains, that it was an ex lover from 50 years ago, who he used to date, up and took off on him with another man and he never got over it or dated again since. Was fun minor jump scares, but good atmosphere and ambiance & the acting is solid considering, there likely wasn't a huge budget thrown into this film, might not be for everyone & the first 20 minutes or so are slow as hell, but it gets better.

One of the better hauntings I've seen in a while

[beherenow-32897 · 10/10 · 17 December 2023]

Loved it. Aside from the very haunting scenery and authentic acting, it had many edge-of-the-seat scary elements with a conclusive and thoughtful ending. The period in time and the scenes really add to the overall melancholy vibe. The scary parts deliver well. I was peeking through my fingers a few times. It had a wonderful, deeper storyline that lent to a greater understanding of the main character's struggles. There was a sad element too, which I won't reveal. And surprisingly, there were a few happy emotions as well. Good story with a decipherable ending. We love a thoroughly good, quality haunt, and this truly delivered.

Great, especially for a low budget film

[hexedd · 9/10 · 22 October 2023]

This movie really deserves a better score than what people are giving it.

It's a slow burn for sure, and there are many plot lines that never get explained, but it's got atmosphere in spades and some genuinely terrifying scenes. It also breaks some of the usual horror tropes, and doesn't rely on cheap, overused jump scares. The setting in the early 20th south lends a southern Gothic feel and helps build the atmosphere and tension. It does take a bit to get really going but it's got some unsettling and scary scenes to reward those who stick with it.

The acting is definitely solid for a low budget film, and I really enjoyed the ending, it goes in an unexpected direction that made me feel happy that not every single horror film director has to end their film with the cliché final shot that has the "Dun dun dunnnn" music followed by a ghost face or something silly; like horror films ALWAYS have to end with the evil being undefeated.

This movie was great, my wife and I were really pleasantly surprised at how scary and atmospheric it was, and how well it told a ghost story in both familiar and unfamiliar ways. Give it a go when you're in the mood for a slow burn that relies on old school filmmaking techniques instead of cheap, gaping CGI ghost faces. If you're patient and enjoy the slow burn ghost stories like The Innocents or I am the Pretty Little Thing That Lives in the House, you'll find this a rewarding watch that sticks with you after.

First rate suspenseful "horror" from beginning to end

[geraldleejones-20639 · 10/10 · 7 April 2024]

This is one of the best horror films I have even seen! No gore or violence just suspense and mood manipulation! The dialogue is minimal, but is used to great effect...anything worth being said is included without any "dramatic" filler.

The setting is perfect to give one the uneasiness that keeps you waiting. The interplay between characters is also minimalist with no wasted words and much of the message is gotten across by facial expressions and body motion. The husband and wife evoke strong emotion without dialogue and it is very effective!

The absolute GEM of this movie if the performance of the star, who expresses every line with profound emotion and makes you fill a wide gamut of emotion towards him which evolves throughout the film!

This is one GOOD movies!!!