![Return to House on Haunted Hill (Unrated) [HD DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VkkaC9n4L._SL160_.jpg) | |
List Price: $34.99 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 10418
Released: October 16, 2007 |
| Our Price: $6.94 |
| Used Price: $14.99 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated Media: HD DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Sarah Wolfe was the only living survivor from the massacre at the Vanacutt Mansion, but no one believed her claims that ghosts were responsible for the gruesome murders that took place there. Now her recent and questionable suicide leaves her sister, Ariel, no choice but to devote herself to finding out who - or what - was responsible for her death. Ariel discovers that Sarah sent her the diary of the sadistic Dr. Vanacutt just before she died, offering clues to the diabolical evil that resides within the house. But the diary also makes Ariel a target in a deadly treasure hunt that leads a group of unwitting victims back to the Vanacutt Mansion, reawakening the terror imprisoned within the house on the hill. This time, the house and the evil spirits inside are out to make sure that no one leaves alive.
Description of Return to House on Haunted Hill (Unrated) [HD DVD]:
Direct-to-video sequel time, as the title edifice from House on Haunted Hill (itself a remake of a Vincent Price picture) remains standing. And, of course, deadly. The sister (Amanda Righetti) of the original film's heroine finds herself back in the house, along with two competing gangs of trophy hunters: seems there's a priceless Egyptian relic hidden in the former lunatic asylum. Well, sure. Return plods through the usual steps of bad dialogue and disposable acting, with enough gore to satisfy hardcore fans. The only name actor here (the first movie actually had Geoffrey Rush) is Jeffrey Combs, of Re-Animator immortality, who returns to his role (but very, very briefly) as the mad doctor of the place. This movie is bad on every level, but wait, there's a wrinkle: the HD and Blu-Ray editions of the thing have a "Choose Your Adventure" option that allows you to navigate through the movie in different ways, changing the outcome of scenes and the fate of the characters. This might be the sole reason for the film's existence. And if you're watching it on a regular DVD, you're stuck with just watching the movie. --Robert Horton
Return to House on Haunted Hill (Unrated) [HD DVD] Reviews:
Raising Hell 
2008-10-07 - And putting it to rest.
Wow!! This is one of those sequels that fully justify its existence.Kind of rare in some forms of Horror, and not what I was expecting in the HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL style. About all I missed in this film was the very stylised jerky ghost moves that characterised the first film. Whilst the Barebones structure of the plot of the search for the Statue, the Quest of Dr Richard Hammer, holds the film together, the carefully detailed death scenes spook the daylights out of anyone watching.
There is no commentary in this disc. However, the confessional elements in the features are very unique and cover some different ground in this style of supernatural splatter-fest.
And once again, this disc proves that the UNRATED format is the Gold standard.
Is there a possibility to end it really early? 
2008-06-16 - Return To House On Haunted Hill isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. It's a horror movie, full stop. You're not going to learn the lesson of life from it, or will be thinking about it after the credits have rolled, but it uses up some time. What is even more fun is that on the blu ray and hd versions of the movie, you can play the movie your way - choosing the fate of the characters etc, something I'd only previously seen on the third Final Destination movie.
Apparently, this had 96 different ways of playing the movie. It's quite funny as the first option is right near the start, but then there's not another one for quite a while - but I suppose it depends on which option you choose. The options are yes or no, but there is a time limit (a syringe with the plunger going down), so you have to choose fast. I always wonder if there's an option you can choose that will finish the film well before it's time - we managed to do it, but it was roughly about half way through at the time.
The good thing about this is you can make the film last as long or as short as you want. It does get a bit annoying trying to choose the options and some of them don't come out with the results you want. (For example, you choose to save a character, and they die anyway.)
There's not much of a storyline. It's a good follow up to the original, but the storyline is pretty much average. Did they deliberately set out to make the audience hate the characters? The gore is pretty good, including a rather pretty girl getting her face sliced off (plastic surgery at its best?), and one guy getting pulled to pieces - literally. It's enough to make my stomach turn anyway.
The ending was a bit of a surprise, and not totally expected. It's also quite sad in a way, if you consider what happens earlier in the movie. I won't reveal anything more you just have to watch it for yourself.
Overall, Return To House On Haunted Hill is one of those movies that will be really cheap, really soon, and is worthwhile getting, even if it's just for the opportunity to have fun with the play the movie your way option. I'm sure there could be lots of fun with that. Maybe I would feel differently if I'd seen the original version of the film first? But chose the 'fun' version first.
More fun than a barrel of entrails 
2008-05-27 - You have to get this on BluRay, first of all. Then sit back and watch this "choose your own adventure" horror flick and have a blast. It took me and my brother almost four hours to see all the permutations of the ending (as well as the director's version, which includes a coda after the credits). I believe we counted roughly 17 endings. Not all were "happy," but all were in line with the choices we'd made.
The story itself is better than you would expect from a b-flick, but don't expect any Oscars(tm) for this one.
Pure entertainment and the best use of new technology I've seen since "follow the white rabbit" from that other popular sci-fi action flick.
If you don't mind a little gore, a little nudity (though not as much as you'd expect), and some cheese with your dialogue and characters, this is a must own for BluRay horror enthusiasts.
Good movie 
2008-02-25 - For those of whom like terror this is the one to have. WOOOWWEE! I am still waiting to see it many times over. Question wha happen to the black guy, and how did they get down from way up yonder? Maybe we'll see a number three. It's recking my brian to know.
So-So Sequel 
2008-02-17 - Without the witty repartee of Geoffrey Rush and Famke Janssen, the sequel falls flat. Some cool effects, but you can say that about a lot of stuff.