Directed By: Todd Lincoln
Starring: Ashley Greene, Sebastian Stan, Tom Felton
Tag line: "Once you believe, you die"
Trivia: The release of this movie was delayed for over two years after Warner Bros. ended its relationship with production company Dark Castle Entertainment
The Apparition, a 2012 horror film, was clearly designed for a younger audience; aside from its PG-13 rating, the movie features a cast that includes Ashley Greene (of the Twilight series) and Tom Felton (who played the treacherous Malfoy in the Harry Potter films). Unfortunately, in their attempt to appeal to the teen market, the filmmakers forgot to add the thrills, resulting in a movie devoid of any excitement.
Kelly (Greene) and her boyfriend Ben (Sebastian Stan) have just moved into a house belonging to Kelly’s parents. Soon after their arrival, some strange things start to happen, everything from unusual noises to doors shutting by themselves. Apparently, these bizarre incidents stem from an experiment Ben took part in when he was in college, a séance of sorts organized by his best friend, Patrick (Felton), during which they mistakenly contacted a malevolent spirit. Having already kidnapped Ben’s former girlfriend, Lydia (Julianna Guill), the pissed-off ghost has now returned for the rest of them.
The Apparition suffers from a number of problems, starting with the performances of its two leads (Sebastian Stan brings next to nothing to the part of Ben, yet still fares better than Greene, who, at times, is downright terrible as Kelly). What’s more, the majority of the film isn’t the least bit frightening, due mostly to its lethargic pace (many scenes drag on far too long). The characters are also very inconsistent; at one point, Kelly is so frightened by the noises that she runs outside, refusing to go back in the house (Ben has to set up a tent in the backyard for them to sleep in). The very next night, when she's all alone, Kelly hears another strange noise. This time, however, instead of fleeing (which would have made sense), she grabs one of Ben’s paranormal detection devices and walks through the house, looking for the source of the sound.
The movie does have a few good scenes (including one set in a hotel room), but for the most part, The Apparition is a muddled mess, and fails to deliver the goods.
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