The Haunted Mansion may very well be one of the most beloved Disney rides, but could it also become one of the most beloved Disney movies.
Though Disney released The Haunted Mansion in 2003, they reimagined it in the 2023 film titled Haunted Mansion. The new version takes the haunts and adventure to a new level, all while maintaining the magic and charm of the Haunted Mansion ride at Disney parks.
Haunted Mansion follows mother-and-son duo Gabbie and Travis as they attempt to start a new life in what they believe to simply be an old mansion; however, they quickly realize that their new home is inhabited by a plethora of ghosts and other spooky happenings. In order to get rid of these ghosts, they enlist the help of a variety of eccentric people, leading to lots of scares and comedic mayhem.
One of my favorite aspects about the film was that there were many references to The Haunted Mansion ride. Viewers are able to see special appearances of the Hitchhiking Ghosts, the ax-wielding bride, and the hatbox ghost. They also featured a variation of the stretching room and the dinner party scenes. I found that these touches made the film especially fun, as it connected both the film and the Disney ride to each other. It brought back nostalgic memories of riding The Haunted Mansion ride on family trips to Disney.
For a Halloween movie, there was a surprising amount of humor in it. Each of the characters enlisted to ride the mansion of its ghosts were slightly odd and very spirited. They were also played by famous actors such as Tiffany Haddish and Danny DeVito. One of my favorite characters was a professor, played by DeVito, who had a failing heart. Despite his ailing health, the professor still insisted on helping out. Each of the characters brought their own solutions to the table, even though most of them failed. I enjoyed seeing the characters work together to overcome their issues. There was never a dull moment in the entire film.
Despite being a Disney movie, I was surprised to see that the scares throughout the movie were not entirely young-child friendly. Many of the ghosts had disturbing backstories, and were very creepy. There were also quite a few unexpected jump scares, each featuring unsettling figures. Though I found it to be very entertaining, I could see younger children being frightened by the film.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this film, so much so that I watched it twice in theaters. As we quickly approach Halloween, I grow more excited for Haunted Mansion to be released on streaming platforms.
Haunted Mansion will be available on streaming platforms and Disney+ on October 4.
If you are a Disney fan, or simply love a good Halloween movie, this film is for you! With the perfect balance of humor and fright, this movie will quickly become a must-watch on any list of Halloween movies. Happy haunting!
