Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Review of THE DISAPPOINTMENTS ROOM: Title Tells Truth

October 9, 2016




Dana is an architect recovering from the death of their infant daughter Catherine. Her husband David decides that it would be a good idea for them to move out of the city and live in a old rural mansion which Dana could fix up. However, there are several strange and scary events that welcomed the couple and their 5-year old son Lucas once they moved in. While looking around the house, Dana discovers a hidden room in the attic which was haunted by the ghosts of a little girl and a stern-looking man. Vulnerable Dana begins to break down and teeter on the edge of sanity.

Kate Beckinsale has been a star for more than 20 years, but it seems her projects have been not so memorable in the past 10 years. Aside from "Pearl Harbor" (2001), "Serendipity" (2001) and "Underworld" (2003), you would be hard-pressed to name another movie of hers. Here, she tries her best to make her role as Dana work, may be trying to much. However, the role was written so badly she could not resuscitate it. Her overly manic performance during her big nervous breakdown scene came from out of nowhere. That said, she is the still the main reason to see this film (if you really want to).


Mel Raido, as the husband David, looked weak and useless beside Beckinsale. Duncan Joiner, the little boy actor playing her son Lucas, was mostly used to create false-alarm tension. "X-Men" actor Lucas Till played the supposedly sexy carpenter Ben, a puzzling character with no apparent use in the story at all. Gerald McRaney only needed to look stern to be scary Judge Blacker. The actors playing the shop owner and the lady in the real estate office were all inexplicably loud and hammy. 

The concept of a Disappointments Room, a secret room where rich families used to hide deformed offspring, could have been promising as a horror device, just like post-mortem photography was for "The Others." However, script writer Wentworth Miller (yes, of "Prison Break" fame) failed to make the most of its potential, in terms of drama or in terms of horro. In the hands of director D.J. Caruso, who once had success with "Disturbia" (2007) and "I am Number Four" (2011), this film became a mishmash collection of every horror film cliche we had already seen before. 

This had all the vintage horror props -- spooky rundown isolated old mansion with unkept gardens, a spooky spiral stairwell, spooky old painted portraits, spooky mirrors across each other, a spooky big black dog. It also had all the vintage horror scenes -- characters wandering alone outside in the dark, a kid talking to seemingly no one, nightmares mixed up with reality, phones not working, keys not working, husband conveniently away on a trip, a dinner party from hell. 

You'd stay know how the story goes, but It was not too well told. It could have used a little more backstory about the former occupants of the house to have more impact. It could have done better in connecting the problem of Dana with the problem of the Judge. So much dramatic potential was wasted. It is not common that you come across a film with such a negative-sounding title. Before you go watch it, you'd worry if its title would actually be self-fulfilling. Unfortunately, this time it did. 4/10. 


16 comments:

  1. Yew! Another scary movie - I am hopeless and totally cannot watch these!! Glad there ain't any graphics in this post! And that 4/10 sealed the deal - it's out!

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  2. Wow, I truly appreciate your honest review about this horror movie. It's actually very hard to make a horror movie, because it really requires a good concept to have a good market value.

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  3. Though I'm not a fan of horror movies. But your review made me want to watch it.

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  4. I'm not very sure I liked Kate in Titanic. IMHO, somebody could've played the part better, but the story is so captivating, I could not complain much. As with this horror movie, I am passing up. I am always jumpy when watching horror movies. I am more startled with the sound effects than I am terrified. :) Nice review.

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    1. You are thinking of another Kate. The girl in Titanic is Kate Winslet, not Beckinsale.

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  5. It looks like they fell short in the flow of the movie. The secret / disappointment room can really have a lot of eeriness factor.

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  6. What a review. Though, I have no flair for movies like horror films. The review makes it more wonderful to be watched. Thanks for sharing

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  7. Okay. Not watching. I trust your review so much. Appreciate it! So I couldn't waste time watching crap. :) Thank you.

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  8. Hahaha... Basic question is why would someone go in the middle of nowhere haunted place to recover from the death of a loved one???

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  9. I am scared! By the way, most of the horror movies must have some kid, some old house and spooky surroundings.

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  10. Ooh I definitely wouldn't choose to watch this, but my boyfriend would love it. It's a shame that you didn't enjoy it too much in the end, its always better if you haven't got an idea of what is going to happen next in a film.

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  11. I'm not sure if I'd watch this one. Not really a fan of horror movies. But because of 4/10 maybe it's a really a no. Sisters would like this though.

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  12. The backstory is always good for getting to know the characters. Stiill...it sounds like it's worth a watch!

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  13. Ouch. Disappointment rooms indeed. I was still contemplating whether to catch it, but like what you've mentioned, since it's going to be disappointing... better not

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  14. I wonder what's behind the room... What kind of dissapointment.. Hmm..

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  15. I like Kate Beckinsale, she is a good actress. I am expecting from this movie but since your review says so, I am not that excited to watch it.

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