THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA

BY CHRISTOPHER HASKELL
JULY 5, 2013

Originally titled “The Haunting in Georgia,” for some reason, it became a sequel to the 2009 horror film, “The Haunting In Connecticut,” even though it has no connection to the original besides touting a “based on a true story” precursor like the previous film. Also, THE FILM IS IN GEORGIA, NOT CONNECTICUT. What a contradictory and downright laughable title for the film right off the bat.

Non-film ranting aside, “Ghosts of Georgia” feels like a straight-to-DVD release, with average to bad graphics and some of the worst acting even by horror film standards. A family is moving to Georgia. The mom, played by Abigail Spencer, may or may not have lived in this lonely little cabin as a little girl (they never really cover that topic very well). This house used to be owned by a stationmaster for the Underground Railroad. We learn this story from a preacher and strangers stopping by throughout the film. We also know about it from the ghost sitings that Lisa (Spencer), her sister Joyce (Katee Sackhoff), and Lisa’s little girl, Heidi, all share. The fact that everyone is in on these sightings takes away the scare factor. The ghosts are mainly just there to point and walk past the camera fast and nothing more.

Even when we find out more and more of the plot, as shocking as it ends up being, it means very little with the film’s lack of pacing. With that, the beginning of the film drags on during the first hour with no real occurrence. The same gags repeated over and over again. The most memorable scene is when Joyce is strung from her mouth by wires, but the entire film hardly feels worth it just for that two-minute scene. As trivial as it may seem, had the film stuck with the title “The Haunting In Georgia” and tried to be its own, serious film, it would have made the film more bearable. But since it is ingenuine, I am inclined to dislike the movie that much more.