You know, I’ve seen lots of horror films over my three decades of life and I’m willing to bet that over sixty percent of them have been crap. If I actually went back and checked that percentage it would probably rise by a large margin and surely outsiders would find more that suck; but I’m a tad biased. If the film ends up being horrible then I have no real problem with that. Usually it will never find its way into my DVD player again or it will make a fantastic coaster. Seeing a horrible horror film is one thing, but The Haunting Of Molly Hartley insulted me as a fan of the genre.
Molly Hartley had some deadly issues with her mother that ended up seeing mom institutionalized. So Molly goes to live with her father. She is now the new girl in school, and she’s having all sorts of problems that come with being the outsider. She feels left out, though her uncontrollable nosebleeds, migraines, and the strange voices and apparitions she sees isn’t helping her make new friends. Molly’s father believes there are logical and medical reasons for the nosebleeds; the shock of moving to a new town and school is his reasoning for the rest. Molly soon delves into her past and realizes that there may be something much more evil and sinister to not only her problems but even her as a person.
Oh my sweet baby Jesus is this ever just boring and contrite? No I’m sorry there is a better word for it and that’s just “awful.” There is no horror, no suspense, no tension, barely any blood, and it has no redeeming qualities to make it even worth watching no matter what genre you may put it in. The acting is bad which makes me loathe the future if this is the young crop of actors we have to look forward to. At least when we got Scream back in the mid-’90s it provided some worthwhile performances that gave us a handful of future stars to look forward to. Every one of the kids in Molly Hartley makes me think that Uwe Boll believes them all to be brilliant actors and actresses.
Full of lame jump scares, retarded sound effects, and God awful writing, The Haunting Of Molly Hartley makes films like Grim Reaper seem Oscar-worthy.
The Haunting Of Molly Hartley arrived to me by way of screener and the 1.78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen format I viewed is not nearly up to the good quality the final release will be. There are grain issues along with color problems that hopefully are fixed on the actual release.
The film is heard in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and usually this is better on screeners then the video but it seems quite dull as well. Some moments appear way too quiet and the volume constantly needs to be adjusted to compensate so the dialogue can be heard. Again I hope those that purchase the actual DVD get a better mix.
Interviews – Haley Bennett, Shanna Collins, AnnaLynne McCord, and director Mickey Liddell answer different questions regarding the religious aspects of the film, the story, different scenes, and other such things. Not a thing worth listening to here.
Theatrical Trailer
Trailers – S. Darko, The Day The Earth Stood Still, and Possession
There is not a single redeeming quality about this film or anything included on this DVD. The only remotely interesting thing found on this releases is the semi-enticing looking trailer for the Sarah Michelle Gellar starrer Possession. I will never dare watch this film again and urge everyone to avoid it at all costs. No matter what genre you prefer or what your age and gender demographic is…do not sit through this film which will have you begging to find a DeLorean and go back in time to get that chunk of your life back. Ugh, I need prescription drugs after sitting through that hell.
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20th Century Fox presents The Haunting Of Molly Hartley. Directed by: Mickey Liddell. Starring: Haley Bennett, Chace Crawford, Jake Weber, Shanna Collins, and more. Written by: John Travis & Rebecca Sonnenshine. Running time: 85 minutes. Rating: PG-13. Released on DVD: February 24, 2009. Available at Amazon.com
