By Melissa Antoinette Garza
There is something quite special when a horror movie says it is based on a true story. The thought that ghosts or spirits not only exist but haunt individuals causes chills to run down my spine. I know that there have been strange occurrences in my life that cannot be explained by rationale or logic. Whether it’s something paranormal or not, I don’t know, but it’s been enough to creep me out. There are few people I know who have never experienced something of that sort.
So while watching films that are based on true stories, I go in with a fair amount of skepticism but also an open mind to where I can give the benefit of doubt.
I was not a fan of the original Haunting in Connecticut (2009), but I saw the previews for this sequel and was intrigued. The film follows the Wyrick family who move into a new home. Lisa Wyrick (Abigail Spencer) and her sister Joyce (Katee Sackhoff) have always had a gift that they and refer to as a veil. They can see spirits and ghosts. Lisa dislikes discussing it and is on medication to suppress what she believes to be hallucinations. The meds don’t work but she still refuses to believe that what she sees are ghosts. When her young daughter Heidi (Emily Alyn Lind) starts telling her she sees a man named Mr. Gordy (Grant James) she dismisses it as an imaginary friend. Even Lisa’s husband and Heidi’s father Andy (Chad Michael Murray) is willing to suspend disbelief and believe his daughter.
Joyce too believes Heidi and tells her about the veil. She believes that Gordy is a ghost and does some research about the house. She finds out that the Gordy’s family owned the property until 1978. Heidi tells her family that Gordy said there was money hidden underground. Andy and Joyce find the money thus giving more credence to Heidi.
Soon, Heidi and Lisa begin seeing slaves. The family finds out that the home was part of the Underground Railroad and that the Station Master (Wayne Pere) would hide the slaves on the property until they could escape. When other property owners found out that he was helping the slaves, they killed him.
Heidi soon comes in contact with mean ghosts. One spirit shows her the underground hideout where the station master hid the slaves. Heidi gets scared and says she can no longer stay in the house. She says that the station master wasn’t the man that everyone believes him to be.
Lisa and Andy disagree over whether to stay or to go, but they subsequently agree to leave.
This is really a great ghost story. Though it doesn’t have too many scares, it’s intriguing and the thought that it may have really happened makes it have a creepy factor that otherwise would be absent. The historical elements are fascinating and the twists and turns aren’t predictable. Though it doesn’t invoke fear, there are tense moments.
In the end, we are able to see the family that claim this happened to them. This story had previously been on Unsolved Mysteries and there was a TV movie about the same incidents.
Though I’m sure much of what occurred in the move was fictional and created for dramatic effect, the truth underneath is just as eerie. If the family told the truth then there are no answers to explain other than the supernatural.
I highly recommend this movie. Even if you were not a fan of the first, this is well worth the rental. I obtained it off of Amazon Instant Watch for $3.99 and am very satisfied with the outcome.
Scared Stiff Rating: 7/10
