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Source-VOD
Yep the newest Amityville film that sat on the shelves for 3 years. To only then get dumped on VOD and DVD in October of 2017. For a long time it looked like this film wouldn't be released. Dimension films kept changing the release date. Even moving it to the middle of the summer one time. Which is a sure sign that the distributor has no faith in a horror film.
Made in 2014 this film takes an new spin on the Amityville theme. Cause Amityville is the name of a town in New York anyone can use that name. So lots of indie horror films end up with Amityville in the title.Plus there is what 8 films now in the official franchise.The original which I have reviewed before,6 sequels. With parts 2,6 and 7 being pretty good. Then the kinda crappy remake from almost a decade ago now.
This new spin I mentioned is in the world of Amityville:The Awakening the original film,the second film which is a prequel and the modern remake all exist. One of the characters in this film even talks about watching one of the Amityville films while living in the real house the events supposedly happened in. Too bad the script writers didn't take this neat idea and do more with it.
The plot is a well wore trope. The mother,Jennifer Jason Leigh, moves into the infamous Amityville house to be closer to her sister and closer to medical care for her teenage son who is in a coma. Not long after Jennifer and her 3 kids move in weird stuff starts to happen. The youngest daughter starts talking speaking to someone only see can see.The comatose boy's twin sister,played by Bella Thorne,blames herself for her brother's condition. It seems the brother fell off a roof after confronting a boy who was passing around revealing photos of Bella.
After having been in the coma for 2 years ,while the doctor is visiting,the brother opens his eyes for the first time. This gets the family's hopes up. But Bella starts having nightmares about her brother killing the entire family. Pretty soon using a computer messaging program the family starts receiving messages supposedly from the comatose brother. And after telling her new friend about this Bella finds out about the DeFalco family and the supposed curse on the house in Amityville.
It is rare that a film sits on the shelves for years then gets a release and the film is great and worth the wait. The only modern example I can think of is the anthology film Trick R Treat. Amityville:The Awakening isn't a bad film. But I bet if it hadn't been held up for so long no one would even be talking about it.
The acting is decent. Jennifer Jason Leigh is almost always good. She gets totally into her character and I for a bit forgot she was the same actress I have been watching in films since Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Bella Thorne,who before this I had only see in kid's yogurt commercials,does the best with what she is given. Sadly in horror films the teenage goth girl is a well worn trope.
If you are a fan of the Amityville franchise or just enjoy possession and/or ghost films this is worth a rental or a buy if you find it cheap. But don't go in expecting a great film. It is just an average or barely above average horror film.
Amityville:The Awakening gets a C+
