The Haunting

1999, Horror/Mystery & thriller, 1h 54m

101 Reviews 100,000+ Ratings

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critics consensus

Sophisticated visual effects fail to offset awkward performances and an uneven script. Read critic reviews

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Movie Info

This horror tale focuses on visitors to the secluded mansion of Hill House who have been called to the isolated location by Dr. David Marrow (Liam Neeson) as part of a study on insomnia. However, Marrow is really investigating fear, and he plans to scare the subjects, including the introverted Nell (Lili Taylor) and the seductive Theo (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Unfortunately for Marrow and everyone staying at Hill House, the manor is actually haunted by an evil spirit out to torment its guests.
  • Rating:
    PG-13
  • Genre:
    Horror, Mystery & thriller
  • Original Language:
    English
  • Director:
    Jan de Bont
  • Producer:
    Susan Arnold, Colin Wilson, Donna Arkoff Roth
  • Writer:
    Shirley Jackson, David Self
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     wide
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Box Office (Gross USA):
    $91.2M
  • Runtime:
  • Distributor:
    Warner Home Vídeo, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp., DreamWorks SKG
  • Sound Mix:
    Surround, Mono, DTS, SDDS
  • Aspect Ratio:
    Scope (2.35:1)

Cast & Crew

Liam Neeson
David Marrow
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Theo
Owen Wilson
Luke Sanderson
Lili Taylor
Eleanor Vance
Bruce Dern
Mr. Dudley
Marian Seldes
Mrs. Dudley
Alix Koromzay
Mary Lambetta
Todd Field
Todd Hackett
Virginia Madsen
Jane
Michael Cavanaugh
Malcolm Keogh
Tom Irwin
Lou
Charles Gunning
Hugh Crain
Saul Priever
Ritchie
M.C. Gainey
Large Man
Hadley Eure
Carolyn Crain
Kadina Delejalde
Rene Crain
Alessandra Benjamin
Psych Patient No. 1
Karen S. Gregan
Psych Patient No. 2
Brandon Jarrett
Psych Patient No. 3
Mary McNeal
Psych Patient No. 4
Jan de Bont
Director
Shirley Jackson
Writer
David Self
Screenwriter
Susan Arnold
Producer
Colin Wilson
Producer
Donna Arkoff Roth
Producer
Jan de Bont
Executive Producer
Jerry Goldsmith
Original Music
Karl Walter Lindenlaub
Cinematographer
Michael Kahn
Film Editing
Randi Hiller
Casting
Eugenio Zanetti
Production Design
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Critic Reviews for The Haunting

All Critics (101) | Top Critics (30) | Fresh (17) | Rotten (84)
Full Review… David Ansen Newsweek Full Review… Nell Minow Common Sense Media Full Review… Almar Haflidason BBC.com Full Review… James Berardinelli ReelViews Full Review… Stephanie Zacharek Salon.com Full Review… Wesley Morris San Francisco Examiner Full Review… Eddie Harrison film-authority.com Full Review… Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Full Review… Allison Rose FlickDirect Full Review… Tim Brayton Alternate Ending Full Review… Kathi Maio The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction Full Review… Brian Bethune Maclean's Magazine
View All Critic Reviews (101)

Audience Reviews for The Haunting

  • Apr 06, 2015
    It's a depressing affair to watch particularly talented young actors trying their best to toothpick through The Haunting's unintentionally funny script and dog-paddling in a thick soup of special effects. Whilst the film boasts a handful of unsettling moments they bear no excuse for the rest of the film's fatal flaws. Lili Taylor's constant bawl scream is unnecessarily frequent and is quite annoying. The characters are over-baked stereotypes - see Catherina Zeta-Jones playing a bisexual "free-love" artist. I found most of the characters to be so unlikeable that I was waiting for each of them to be killed off as soon as possible.
    Harry W Super Reviewer
  • May 01, 2014
    Atmospheric and intense, The Haunting is an impressive horror film. To conduct a study on fear Dr. Marrow lures a group of unsuspecting subjects to the Hill House, a mansion with a notorious history behind it; but unknown to Marrow the spirits that haunt the mansion have their own agenda. Starring Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Lili Taylor, and Owen Wilson, the cast is quite strong. And, the set designs of the mansion create a compelling air of mystery and suspense; which is added to by Jerry Goldsmith's moody score. However, the CGI effects haven't aged well and become a little distracting at times. Additionally, the storytelling is rather poor; with a lot of exposition dumps and jumps in logic. The Haunting has problems, but overall it's an entertaining thriller with a captivating visual aesthetic.
    Dann M Super Reviewer
  • Mar 20, 2014
    The quality of this movie can be viewed in a similar manner as a snowball effect: it gets progressively worse and worse.
    Kevin M Super Reviewer
  • Nov 20, 2012
    Not all bad, The story was what we have seen before, But done different, Not scary though.
    Jamie C Super Reviewer
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