The Amityville Horror (2005)

Based on both the 1977 book and the original 1979 movie of the same name, 2005’s  version of The Amityville Horror tells the story of the Lutz family and their supposedly true experiences inside a haunted house. The book by Jay Anson posited that George and Kathy Lutz moved into a Long Island house that, a year before, was the scene of a horrific mass murder. That much is fact. Over the 28 days of their residence at 112 Ocean Avenue, the Lutzs and their children were supposedly tormented by a series of unexplained paranormal events that caused them to vacate the house and abandon their belongings.

The book became a bestseller and was turned into the 1979 movie that went on to become a box office smash. I’m guessing both were successful because of the “based on a true story” element. 2005’s movie version of the story remains — at least initially — faithful to the originals.

George (Ryan Reynolds) and Kathy (Melissa George) are newly married and looking for a home to share with Kathy’s three children. When they find the impossibly large and under-priced home, they ask the real estate agent why the house is so cheap. When she explains that Ronald DeFeo, Jr. murdered his family in the house, George and Kathy hesitate for a moment. George exclaims, “Houses don’t kill people. People kill people.” They move in shortly thereafter but don’t tell the children about the house’s tragic history.

Soon, the family are beset by strange noises, cold chills, and odd visions. Young Chelsea Lutz (Chloë Grace Moretz) begins to see and talk to a young girl named Jodie, who was one of the murder victims. George’s behavior significantly changes. He’s awakened by something at 3:15 AM every night. He also becomes particularly aggressive towards Kathy’s son, Billy (Jesse James.) After seeing his demeanor change for the worse, Kathy tries to persuade George to move the family out of the house. He refuses because he has a “project” he wants to complete.

Usually, I’m not a fan of movie remakes. But this newer version of The Amityville Horror improves on the 1979 original in almost every way. It’s shorter and significantly scarier. And, most importantly, it tells a story that makes a modicum of sense. That’s not to say it doesn’t take liberties with what was established in the book and purists may scoff at those differences. However, since the authenticity of the original story has been challenged as a hoax, I argue that it makes little difference if the final product ends up being much better. And it does.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced and fun horror movie to enjoy on a dark and stormy night, The Amityville Horror delivers jump scares as well as old school atmospherics. I’m genuinely impressed.