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First of all, I am a Disney kid that grew up going to Disneyland in CA every year. Since I am a fan of the ride, "The Haunted Mansion", I guess I expected this film to be good. When I heard the mediocre reviews, I backed off from watching it until I just bought it on DVD this past weekend. I was very surprised to find it a lot better than I expected. My kids loved it and have watched it about 3 times.

The sets were beautiful and intricate, the costumes and make-up are gorgeous and the special effects are amazing. Rick Baker "Monster Maker" is so talented and has done an impressive (as always) job creating a vision from the Haunted Mansion ride that he also admired.

If you are a fan of the ride, I would imagine that you would enjoy this movie as much as me.

Don't go in expecting a true horror movie and you'll love it. This movie actually succeeds at capturing the mood of the titular ride. The jokes are subtle but funny, the mansion itself is amazing and Murphy & Stamp deliver memorable performances. It's stunning how much they squeeze into the run-time and the pace is fast & fun. This is a good time popcorn movie so don't look for anything deep or scary. Simply putting it, if you like the ride, you'll find something to enjoy in this movie.

Eddie Murphy is great fun as usual & has always been a favourite of mine as i grew up watching his Classic 80's & 90's films. Since the 2000's, Comedy legend Eddie Murphy has become a more goofy but fun family friendly movie star as he's moved onto big budget family films like "Daddy Day Care" & "I Spy" & "Meet Dave" & "Dr. Doolittle 2" & the "Shrek" films, so Murphy has become a new Comedy star for a new generation of kids which is nice & has kept his Career very much alive & relevant. I've enjoyed pretty much most of his films & Murphy always cheers me up. My favourite Eddie Murphy movie would have to be his 90's Comedy CLASSIC "The Nutty professor" & i loved it's goofy-silly sequel & I've got big Nostalgia love for the first "Dr. Doolittle" film, but hey i like most of his films. This big budget supernatural fantasy family comedy-adventure is another great film to add to your Eddie Murphy collection. "The Haunted Mansion" is a beautiful looking film with some of the best & detailed products design I've ever seen in a movie, especially in a family comedy!!! The huge Haunted Mansion set is absolutely beautiful & visually stunning with gorgeous cinematography. The special effects are fantastic as this is a huge mega budget Disney production, so everything looks spectacular & the best of the best, like the Zombie scene that is done like a proper Horror movie sequence with fantastic looking Zombies created by legendary movie effects master, Rick Baker.

The simple story is about a busy realter (Eddie Murphy) & his family are summoned to a massive old mansion & discover it's haunted & must try to solve the mystery of the mansion. Also it's about Jim Evers (Murphy) realising he's been neglecting his family & wants to be there more & take them on an adventure but of course they end up at the "Haunted Mansion" it's a nice sweet funny family film but also a really great supernatural adventure with Horror elements. There's still a heart & that sweet Disney magic toward the end but it all plays out nicely. If you like Horror movies then this is a really nice watered-down version, thats still rich with stunning gothic scenery & a real spooky atmosphere complete with a rain storm & lightening. The Ghost effects are Awesome & very glowing & colourful.

A great fun ghostly fantasy comedy with a great Eddie Murphy. One of Murphy's best "Family" films.

I can see how this didn't do as well as expected at the box office, but it's worth watching. The costumes and set designs are great!

So go watch it!

My six year old son loved it as a rental, in the comfort (and safety) of our home. We ended up purchasing a copy and he must have selected it at least 3 times a week for a month. I thought it was a bit frightening for a boy his age, but i guess he enjoys being frightened. Reminds me of when i was his age and my Dad let me stay up to watch FRANKENSTEIN, or some other old classic that was considered scary in those days (I'm now 49). I thought it was well done,even w/ Murphy as a bit over the top realtor. It was the ROLE that was over the top, and I think Murphy was excitable in his usually funny way. I'm continually surprised at what DOESN'T frighten kids nowadays. A fun ride!