The Haunted Mansion (2003)

Directed by Rob Minkoff. Starring Eddie Murphy, Terence Stamp, Marsha Thomason, Nathaniel Parker, Marc John Jeffries, Aree Davis, Wallace Shawn, Dina Spybey, Jennifer Tilly. [PG]

Workaholic real estate agent Murphy is supposed to be taking his boring family on a weekend getaway when they get sidetracked at a big, dusty, spooky mansion that (as the title promises) is filled with ghostly presences. Not quite as bad as its selling point would suggest—“A reworking of the 1999 The Haunting remake aimed at the kiddies”—but it’s still just another special-effects-and-family-secrets-laden fantasy where far more attention was paid unto the art direction than logic, story or character. Lots of poorly-calibrated supernatural mayhem, no heart or laughs courtesy of the slumming star. Short running time reduces the misery. Based on the same-named Disneyland attraction, so there are presumably numerous references and Easter eggs for fans.

33/100