Haunted Mansion (2023)
Director: Justin Simien
Screenwriter: Katie Dippold
Starring: LaKeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, Chase Dillon, Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Jared Leto
Ben (LaKeith Stanfield) is a man consumed by loss. Once an astrophysicist, he now runs uninspired ghost tours in memory of his deceased wife. Jaded, solitary and bitter, Ben is the film’s reluctant protagonist, a damaged character whose grief shapes his worldview and the tone of the story.
Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) arrives in the town with her son Travis (Chase Dillon). They purchase a sprawling, dilapidated mansion—an implausible purchase for a single parent with no job, but one that establishes the classic haunted-house setting. The house is haunted by angry spirits determined to make life miserable for its new inhabitants.
When a local exorcism by Father Kent (Owen Wilson) fails to resolve the supernatural disturbances, he calls in a team of specialists. Ben is recruited for his unique past: in his scientific career he designed a lens capable of capturing spectral images, though he himself denies belief in ghosts. The team also includes Harriet (Tiffany Haddish), a flamboyant medium, and Bruce Davis (Danny DeVito), the town historian. Together they form a familiar ensemble—skeptic, believer, comic relief, and elder sage—whose chemistry and archetypes the film relies on heavily.
The central threat is a powerful, malevolent spirit (Jared Leto) who needs just one more soul to tip the balance and unleash chaos between the living and the dead. The narrative follows the six mismatched ghost hunters as they try to protect the family and prevent catastrophe, but the plot often feels loosely connected and predictable.
The screenplay gives each character a personal vulnerability—Bruce faces upcoming heart surgery, Ben struggles with alcoholism and profound isolation, Harriet is dismissed by skeptics, and Travis suffers bullying at school. These emotional threads are meant to add weight and stakes to the adventure, but the film never fully commits to exploring them in depth. As a result, moments that could have felt poignant remain surface-level.
One of the film’s unusual choices is that the child, Travis, is not cast as the hero; he is instead a character to be protected. That decision shifts the focus to Ben’s arc, centering the story on an adult grappling with grief and redemption. The tonal mix is inconsistent: comedic beats and family-friendly jokes sit alongside darker themes—existential dread, the threat of eternal damnation, and references to decapitation and suicide—that make it unclear whether the film’s intended audience is children or adults.
Haunted Mansion (2023) is not aiming for high art, nor does it pretend to be a straight horror film. With a PG-13 or 12-style rating in mind, it attempts to blend family entertainment with spooky thrills and emotional drama, but the result is an uneasy compromise: not very scary, not consistently funny, and only intermittently moving.
Katie Dippold, the screenwriter, has previous credits in supernatural comedy and television comedy writing, which should have been an asset. Her résumé includes contemporary ghost-themed and comedic projects; despite her experience, the script here often settles for formulaic beats and predictable reveals instead of imaginative twists or sharper satire.
The cast is strong on paper: veteran performers like Danny DeVito, Tiffany Haddish and Owen Wilson bring distinctive screen presences, while LaKeith Stanfield offers a nuanced lead performance that hints at more than the script allows. Rosario Dawson and Chase Dillon provide emotional grounding as the mother and son at the center of the haunting. Despite their efforts, the ensemble never fully lifts the material beyond its conventional framework.
Production design and effects aim for a family-friendly haunted-house palette. The visual effects lean toward the cartoony rather than the chilling, which undercuts tension in key scenes. Some plot twists are telegraphed well in advance, diminishing suspense. Occasional product placement and tonal choices further reinforce the impression that the film prioritizes broad commercial appeal over artistic risk.
Comparatively, this film fits with recent seasonal family titles that rework classic spooky properties for modern audiences. It’s the kind of movie families may reach for during a Halloween viewing rotation, but it lacks the timeless charm and originality of earlier genre favorites. While it may provide light entertainment for a casual audience, it is unlikely to become a lasting family staple.
Overall, the film delivers some enjoyable moments and benefit of strong performances, but it struggles with coherence and tonal focus. For viewers seeking a clever, genuinely frightening or deeply moving haunted-house experience, this incarnation will likely disappoint. For those after a serviceable, middle-of-the-road family spooky-comedy, it may still be worth a watch.
Score: 15/24
Rating: 3 out of 5.