Haunting of the Innocent (2014) Directed by Matt Hish

The title lets this movie sound like a very generic horror movie and the cover of it makes it seem like one as well. But no, the movie actually is far from a horror movie. I wouldn't even call it a thriller but more of a mystery movie instead. Unfortunately it's not a very good or appealing mystery movie though.

To make things all the more confusing; it's still a movie that gets build up- and looks like a generic horror. You keep waiting for ghosts to pop up and for people to end up getting stabbed to death but after a while it becomes obvious to you that it's truly being a totally different type of movie.

It's the type of movie that loves to be mysterious for most part, without really explaining anything to you, until it's getting close to the end. It's an annoying approach really. You know that something is off and something mysterious is going on but you don't know what it is and the movie is deliberately keeping you in the dark about things, in an attempt for things to work out as something both mysterious and suspenseful. But you always need to give the viewers something to latch onto, in order for things to work out as engaging and therefore effective as well. That's something this movie just doesn't seem to understand or ever realizes and it's also truly a far from engaging or effective movie to watch.

This not in the least also is due to it that the story is taking some weird turns at times. After a while you won't know anymore how to feel about things or what to except next. It sounds like a positive thing perhaps but all of it however is either something far too random or completely nonsensical. Sure, the twists are certainly original ones but that in this case doesn't make them great and effective ones as well.

Best way to describe this movie; the first half is too slow and too mysterious for its own good and the second half is far too random and nonsensical. It makes the movie as a whole a very unappealing and uninteresting one, that really isn't worth your time and money.

4/10

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