At the onset of An American Haunting we are introduced to the typical cookie-cutter Horrorwood American family: Mother, who is fast on her way to becoming an alcoholic due to a past Tragic Event (in this case Divorce) and Daughter, who has Trouble Coping because of said Tragic Event (in this case, she has Nightmares). When Mother begins reading a letter found in the attic that seems to tell of the Bell Witch, the story shifts to the past. Specifically, 1848 in Tennessee.

We are introduced to the Bell family, the patriarch of which (played by Donald Sutherland in a welcome, if understated, return to the genre) breaks church law in an attempt to seize a piece of land from a woman thought to be a witch. Said Witchy Woman curses said family, and soon after Papa Bell begins seeing things that aren't there. Wolves lunging at his throat, for example. The next day, young Betsy Bell gets herself an invisible friend. And just what exactly keeps visiting the Bell house each night as the clock strikes twelve?

What follows is a fairly linear ghost story, with an interesting mix of old school-styled effects that you've seen before in similar films, along with a couple of things you've definitely not seen. Visually, its stunning cinematography stands in sharp contrast to its simple story telling. The ending isn't quite as satisfying as one would hope given the potential of the story (based on the only case in history where the US government officially recognized a death as the result of something supernatural), but the denouement is absolutely bone-chilling (especially for parents) and well worth the wait.

Although some may find the use of such obviously famous actors distracting, Sissy Spacek gives a terrific, honest performance and it's a pleasure to watch her work her magic again after being so underused in last year's The Ring Two.

An American Haunting reminds me of M. Night Shyamalan's The Village in terms of scope and style, but it achieves what "The Village" failed to: it's a classy suspense tale with palpable tension, an authentic historical atmosphere, and enough twists to keep you guessing.

Pros: Great cast. Some terrific special effects...
Cons: ...and some not-so-terrific effects. Be warned: there's nothing but CGI here.
Review Rating: 7 out of 10 carriage rides from Hell.

This is a case of "What could have been". First, let me just get something out of the way. This story is billed as the only case in history as a ghost who has killed someone. Having read the book by the schoolteacher who marries the daughter of the "murdered", I can only say that it takes place over a considerable amount of time- which may make the murder an exaggeration.

The "story" is rife with hauntings, and interactions with the spirit of "Ol' Kate", but the movie moves along at the pace of an afterschool special. There is little that is frightening for a story where the ghost remained with the family over a period of months and even years. Kate entertained large groups while toremnting John (the father), but you hardly get a taste of this from the film.

When I saw this I was bored in large patches of this film. The actors even appear bored by the plotlines. Which is frustrating considering that the events and literary plot are very good fodder for this type of movie. What little effects there are here do not string along anyone watching, there is an eternal feeling of "let's see something...ANYTHING!"

And lastly, I add that the story was written years afterwards by the schoolteacher who suffered a dibilitating stroke forcing him into abject poverty. The "true" account may not be so true.

I saw a discovery channel special a few years ago that told 3 ghost stories, the Bell Witch being one of them. In that 20 minute segment, they made the Witch appear incredibly frightening using only sound (which made me read the book)- this whole big budget film never managed that fright. This could have been the "Blair Witch" that we all got to see and hear, instead I felt cheated.

Rating the story: mediocre, the book has more of the "supposed" events which are much more exciting and frightening. The acting: survivable. The FX: fair, but sparse. The mood: afterschool special-esque.

Overall: a disappointing 3 out of 10