The Amityville spell is an urban legend and paranormal phenomenon that surrounds a supposedly haunted house in Amityville, New York. The tale became widely known after the publication of the book "The Amityville Horror" by Jay Anson, which was later adapted into multiple movies. The story revolves around the DeFeo family, who lived in the Amityville house in 1974. Ronald DeFeo Jr., the eldest son, shot and killed six members of his family in their sleep. He later claimed that he was influenced by demonic forces within the house, compelling him to commit the murders.
He later claimed that he was influenced by demonic forces within the house, compelling him to commit the murders. After the tragedy, the next family to move into the Amityville house was the Lutz family. They claimed to experience a series of paranormal activities during their 28-day stay, including mysterious odors, creepy noises, and supernatural entities.
Review: ‘The Amityville Horror’ Formula is Jump Scare + Loud Noise = All We Have
The first jump scare in “The Amityville Horror” made me leap from my skin. It was unexpected and done in such a way it can be a lesson in the cinematic art of saying boo! To clarify, this is not a review of the 1979 cult classic, but rather the 2005 remake.
The movie, which stars Ryan Reynolds in a fairly early role for him, follows the plot of the original story, true events that have been rehashed and relived many times. It opens with the 1974 massacre of the DeFeo family at their creepy estate in Amityville, New York, a genocide in which the assailant claimed evil voices from within the house were the reason behind his actions.
Ryan and Reynolds and Melissa George
George and Kathy Lutz move into the home a year later, bringing with them three small children and the promise of a new start. Immediately after their arrival, the ghosts of Amityville torment them in classic haunted house style. It’s a similar formula to a host of 2000s era horror movies, with this one being particularly bad. Clocking in at a robust 89 minutes, “The Amityville Horror” starts out with the aforementioned scene that nearly made me wet myself, and followed up nicely with some more chilling parts. Unfortunately, it goes back to the Jump Scare + Loud Noise = All We Have well on a seemingly continuous loop, abandoning all signs of subtlety in its wake and leaving us with a terrible movie.
Ryan Reynolds is a decent actor, but here he’s simply a caricature of a typical horror movie maniac. Midway through, I actually asked myself out loud if George Lutz had somehow transitioned into Jack Torrance, as the house tries to get him to kill his family and he lumbers around in a constant sweat and bugging eyes, dragging an axe behind him. The contentious relationship between George and his three stepchildren is barely present, as George seemingly goes from loving man to a berserk freak in a matter of minutes.
The Amityville Horror
Opposite Ryan Reynolds is Melissa George in the role of Kathy. Like Reynolds, George does fine with her performance in an otherwise awful movie. She has the ability to portray the loving mother with the typical horror movie stupidity. In one scene, she notices the magnetic letters on the refrigerator have changed on their own to spell out something horrific. When George questions her shock, she sees that the words have gone back to normal and responds that she is “Just seeing things I guess” as if a grown woman would think the wind reorganized the letters or something.
Rachel Nichols as Lisa – a babysitter like no other
The children complete the Lutz clan, with a young Chloë Grace Moretz (“Carrie”) as youngest daughter Chelsea. ‘Seinfeld’ fans will recognize Philip Baker Hall as Father Callaway, the obligatory priest who knows everything about the DeFeo family and the house itself, and the beautiful Rachel Nichols rounds out the cast as a sultry babysitter that no loving parents would leave in charge of their children.
I haven’t watched the original and probably should as it is often heralded as a horror classic. This version of “The Amityville Horror” has a couple of decent scenes but is an otherwise complete disaster.
The Lutzes further alleged that they were physically attacked by unseen forces and plagued by visions of the DeFeo murders. These claims attracted widespread attention and sparked a controversy over the validity of the Amityville haunting. Skeptics argue that the events were a hoax perpetrated by the Lutz family to capitalize on the tragedy and gain publicity. However, others believe that the house is genuinely haunted, possibly due to dark forces tied to the DeFeos' tragic murders. Over the years, investigations and numerous books have been published about the Amityville haunting. Paranormal researchers have attempted to document the supernatural occurrences and explain the source of the alleged evil presence in the house. Some theories propose that the land itself holds a dark history that contributed to the haunting, while others suggest that the Lutz family's own troubled experiences caused them to embellish or exaggerate their claims. Regardless of the truth behind the story, the Amityville spell continues to captivate audiences and fuel speculation about the existence of the paranormal. The house remains an iconic symbol of hauntings and has become a popular subject in horror culture. Whether fact or fiction, the Amityville spell serves as a cautionary tale about the sinister potential of places and the boundaries between reality and the supernatural..
Reviews for "The Amityville Spell: A Gateway to the Other Side?"
- John Doe - 1 out of 5 stars - I was really disappointed with "The Amityville Spell". The plot was predictable and the characters were one-dimensional. I felt like I was just going through the motions and there was no real depth to the story. The scares were cheap and cliché, and it felt like I was watching a low-budget horror film. I wouldn't recommend wasting your time on this one.
- Jane Smith - 2 out of 5 stars - "The Amityville Spell" had potential, but it fell flat for me. The pacing was slow, and the scares were too few and far between. I was expecting a more intense and gripping experience, but it just didn't deliver. The acting was mediocre, and the special effects looked cheap. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and underwhelmed.
- Robert Johnson - 1 out of 5 stars - I found "The Amityville Spell" to be a complete waste of time. The storytelling was confusing and disjointed, and I couldn't connect with any of the characters. The horror elements were weak and poorly executed. It felt like the filmmakers were trying to cash in on the Amityville name without putting in any effort to create a compelling and original story. I regretted spending money on this film.
- Sarah Thompson - 2 out of 5 stars - Unfortunately, "The Amityville Spell" did not live up to my expectations. The plot lacked originality and felt like a rehash of countless other horror films. The jump scares were predictable, and the overall atmosphere was not as creepy as I had hoped. I was hoping for a more unique take on the Amityville story, but it felt like a missed opportunity. I would recommend skipping this one and watching something more original instead.