HAUNTER. Not your conventional ghost story

While this creator certainly feels most at home in science fiction settings, this time he decided to try his hand at horror. However, his latest film is not a conventional horror. Nor is it just another clichéd haunted house story, as the promotional campaign suggested. I don’t want to reveal the plot outline, as I believe this is one of those films that taste much better when you know as little as possible about them. It’s best for the viewing experience not to be contaminated by any unnecessary information. I’ll just mention one interesting and important thing: Natali returns to a motif important to his work, previously masterfully executed in the film Cube – placing the main characters of Haunter in a vaguely defined space-time from which they cannot escape. So, see how you will deal with another uniquely articulated puzzle this time.

The screenplay comes from Brian King, who previously collaborated with Natali on the storyline for the film Cypher. This SF thriller was characterized by an intriguing, complex, and slightly twisted plot, reminiscent of ideas from Total Recall and The Matrix. It’s equally challenging to navigate through the intrigue of their next joint project. However, what should be a strength of the Haunter screenplay ultimately turns out to be its biggest flaw. Somewhere around the halfway mark, the story becomes too unclear, illogical, tangling in knots that it previously wove, leaving the viewer somewhat bewildered and passively awaiting the finale. However, the final interpretation depends on us and what we take away from this story.

Surprisingly, Abigail Breslin delivers a solid performance. The young actress – by horror standards – plays exceptionally sparingly, avoiding excessive expressions and unnecessary screaming, but consistently delineating the strong character of her heroine. The rest of the cast also portrays their roles with credibility and emotion. Among them, Stephen McHattie shines the brightest, portraying the antagonist. One can’t help but wonder: where has he been all these years? While he has played numerous roles, few will be remembered. It’s a pity because his appearance, voice, and facial expressions are perfect for becoming an ideal villain. It’s also worth mentioning that Haunter fulfills a certain acting tradition, as it features David Hewlett, an actor who has appeared in all of Vincenzo Natali’s films.

As I mentioned, Haunter is not a conventional horror. The screenplay is crafted to intrigue, capture attention, and draw viewers into a game whose rules unfortunately blur along the way. The function of scaring takes a back seat here. However, what’s more important to me is that previous ideas were effectively utilized to create a peculiar and ambiguous invention. So, if you’re feeling fatigued by the creative stagnation of ghost stories, Vincenzo Natali’s new film is made just for you. However, this film can’t offer much beyond the level of “curiosity.