Haunter (2013)

Don't Believe the Hype

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Stuck in a 'Groundhog Day' style time loop in which she experiences the same day again and again, a teenage girl unwittingly discovers a way to alter the next day before it repeats in this intriguing horror film that reunites director Vincenzo Natali and screenwriter Brian King a decade after their electrifying 'Cypher'. As per 'Cypher', this is a film full of twists and turns and therefore anything more about the plot is best left unrevealed. Suffice it to say, several ideas are intriguing and the film keeps one guessing. Not as critically well received as his previous four features, the mythology here is more complex than in any Natali film to date with some bizarre things that the teen protagonist is able to do to get an 'upper hand'. The ending is also too upbeat for its own good with an unlikely deus ex machina in the mix; the film also becomes a tad reliant on boo-moments towards the end. The vast majority of the movie though is creepy in refreshingly subtle ways, like the teenager's inability to go outside and the 'In the Mouth of Madness' scenario she finds herself in as she futilely tries to peddle away. It is an undeniably atmospheric film too and it is the stronger moments of the film that ultimately stay in the mind, such as the way lead actress Abigail Breslin shudders and almost seems to collapse as a guest comes in from blinding white light after she first manages to alter the day.

I first saw this movie on Netflix about two years ago, and I loved it. I loved it so much that I bought the DVD about two minutes after it ended. I liked it so much that I was actually kind of scared to watch it again; I was afraid it wouldn't be as good as I originally thought it was. But three or four nights ago, two years after I bought the DVD, I watched it. And... They changed the ending. In the version I first watched, Lisa gets on her bike at the end, and she rides off into the sunlight. I loved that scene. They cut it from the DVD. I don't know why. Is there a place where I can buy the DVD with the Netflix ending? I really want to see that ending. She earned it, after all that.

I picked the Blu-ray of this movie from my local library more or less as random. Sometimes this way of choosing a movie can have you uncover an unknown gem. This particular movie, however, left me with mixed feelings. To a degree I can understand why others here at the IMDb have liked this movie so much. The direction is very atmospheric, managing to replicate at times what a real life dream can be like. The production values are solid for what couldn't have been a big budget. And actress Abigail Breslin does very well in the lead role, playing her role in a way that's likable, believable, and intelligent.But as I indicated in my summary line, the script for this movie should have been worked on some more before filming started. It often doesn't make that much sense, with rules and events suddenly changed around for no particular reason at all. And what happened in the past to put Breslin's character and her family in their predicament doesn't seem all that clear apart from there seemingly being more than one explanation; I'm unsure how the killer got all of his power as well as victims in his clutches.Despite the script problems, I admit that the movie did keep me watching to the very end. Any movie that can remain interesting despite major problems shouldn't be dismissed immediately. If you're willing to put up with a number of murky plot details, you may find this movie of some interest.

Lisa is stuck living the same day over and over. Every day she does the same things, and her parents and brother say the same things, and they eat the same things. Every evening they watch the same episode of "Murder, She Wrote" When Lisa becomes aware that her life is repeating itself, things start to change. There are strange noises coming from the basement, her family, especially her father, alter their behaviour slightly, and a mysterious pale man visits their house and makes unsettling threats. Haunter is a highly effective Horror, Thriller, and Mystery. There is a perfect combination of all three genres in this overlooked gem. It's intelligent and makes the best of it's premise. I love how whenever Lisa discovers something new about her situation, more layers are added to the story. We, the audience, never truly realize what's going on until close to the end, and that uncertainty throughout keeps our interest high. It's a perfect example of what horror should be- creepy, mysterious, atmospheric, and, above all, engrossing. With elements similar to "Groundhog Day", "The Shining", and "The Sixth Sense", Haunter still manages to feel fresh. It's a real pity this film isn't more popular. It deserves to be seen by every fan of the genre.