Movie Review: ‘THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA’

So its been awhile since the first Haunting in Connecticut was released back in 2009. It looks like they are creating their own franchise or they just didn’t think people would see a film called Ghosts of Georgia. I hope for the former because even though upon first hearing the title I asked myself, “Well what does Connecticut have to do with Georgia?” It seems as if the trend is not in the location but in the fact that these films are based on actual events. A Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia is based off an event that happened to a little girl named Heidi and her family as they move into their new home. Now I have read the original account. The names are the same and the reasoning behind the haunt is the same but of course there are certain fabricated details to make the story intriguing.

In Ghosts, Heidi’s mother Lisa is a paranoid schizophrenic. She has been classified this way because she believes she sees ghosts. One ghost that torments her throughout the film is her mother. Her mother warns her about the upcoming future and tells her she needs to let them in. The house they move to is a house of great significance. It was known as a station house which was a house that hid slaves that were traveling north for their freedom. The historical references in this film are amazing and even though there are jumps and scares right from the start of the film, it really helps move the story along. What really sets this apart from the previous tale is that you find out right from the start why the spirits are there. You don’t know what they want but you do know they are there.

The scare factor in Ghosts is pretty high. If you are not a fan of movies that make you jump you may want to leave this alone. The director (Tom Elkins) and crew make a point from the beginning of the film to creep you out. In all honesty, this is the one thing I really appreciated about Ghosts along with its attention to detail in regards to scaring you. There is nothing groundbreaking or new about the way they depict the ghosts in this. You can see traces of many recent supernatural films elements in here. Even though it is not an over the top bloody film with a high body count, Ghosts succeeds at being what it should be: A chilling film about a great but very unknown ghost story.

Now don’t get me wrong, there are some flaws with the film. For starters, Chad Michael Murray is in here, and even though he isn’t terrible, it’s still Chad Michael Murray. The little girl that plays Heidi (Emily Alyn Lind) does a very impressive job especially with dealing with her mom and the betrayal she feels when Lisa (Abigail Spencer) does not believe her. Also in the story is the Aunt Joyce played by Katee Sackhoff.  Overall, the entire cast does a great job of keeping the story together, and once they all start to come around to what Heidi is seeing and experiencing it is when the movie really picks up.

Without spoiling too much I wasn’t a fan of the ending except for when they show the real people involved. I see critics talking about the clothes and how it was supposed to be in 1993 blah, blah, blah, who cares. If you want to get more specific the events happened in 1988 not 1993. Regardless of when it was, this was still a well done film. I don’t dislike the title as many do because I believe we will see another film with the same name in a new location and I’m looking forward to it. Ghosts of Georgia received a limited release before it hit the VOD market but now its available to rent and I suggest you pick it up. While there are many films out there involving so many “out there” topics that make you think more than just scare you, it’s nice to see just a good old fashion ghost story.

 

Special Features:

The Blu-Ray comes with  extra UV disc and a digital download code.

 Audio Commentary with Director Tom Elkins, Writer David Coggeshall and Co-Producer Brad Kessell

“Seeing Ghosts: The True Story of the Wyricks” Featurette

Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary with Director Tom Elkins

The Haunting in Connecticut Theatrical Trailer

The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia Theatrical Trailer

Outtakes