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The Haunting of Molly Hartley
- Review Date: October 30, 2008
- PG-13
- Genre: Horror
- 2008
Common Sense Media says
High school horror flick more dreary than spooky.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that teens may be drawn to this horror movie by co-star Chace Crawford, who's part of the cast of Gossip Girl. There's some violent, scary stuff, but it's also mostly bloodless (particularly when compared to movies like the Saw franchise) -- more blood is seen from the lead character's stress-induced nosebleeds than from any of the movie's stabbings, assaults, and murders. The film includes a lot of religious imagery and plot points -- characters read Paradise Lost and the Bible, the lead character is baptized in an effort to remove the diabolical influences she's experiencing, and more.
What's the story?
THE HAUNTING OF MOLLY HARTLEY revolves around the title teen, Molly (Haley Bennett), who's getting over some tough stuff -- her mother tried to kill her in a paranoid rage, claiming she had to "save" Molly -- while trying to find her feet in a new town, fit in at her new school, and make new friends. Unfortunately, she's troubled by visions, headaches, and whispers that only she can hear. Molly's dad (Jake Weber) assures her that things are going to be OK -- but what if they aren't? As her 18th birthday approaches, Molly learns that, when she was born, her parents pledged her to dark forces who would claim her when she turned 18. Molly struggles to discover whether that outlandish claim is even possible ... and what, if anything, she can do about it if so.
Is it any good?
The Haunting of Molly Hartley is a modest horror-thriller; in fact, if anything, it's too modest, relying on music cues and cheap surprises instead of actual suspense. Bennett (last seen as a Britney-esque teen pop star in the comedy Music and Lyrics) is a charming, easy-to-watch lead actress, but she's not given much to work with here, stumbling from plot point to plot point with a dazed, slightly upset look on her face. In an age when TV shows like Reaper and Buffy the Vampire Slayer and (more explicit and violent) films like Teeth and The Faculty have wrung horror out of the classes, clashes, and cliques of high school, The Haunting of Molly Hartley feels curiously constrained, as if the filmmakers didn't have the brains, bravery, or budget to kick things up a notch.
Director Mickey Liddell does manage to work in a few moments of actual suspense: Is the nice, born-again girl (Shanna Collins) in Molly's classes really not so nice? Is the handsome smile of the school's cutest boy (Chace Crawford) hiding a secret? But the film's finale is so shabby -- and so sudden -- that the film ends not with a bang but a whimper. The Haunting of Molly Hartley isn't too violent, isn't too scary, and isn't too over-the-top; unfortunately, it isn't too memorable, either.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about some of the philosophical and belief-related points suggested by the film. What do you believe in? Do you have to believe the same things that movie and TV characters do in order to empathize with them? Why or why not? Families can also discuss the film's subplot, in which the lead character was pledged to Satan by her parents at birth in order to save her life. Do children have to pay for the mistakes their parents make?
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AGE
Confusing
I really liked the movie, but it was really confusing. My parents and aunt watched it too, and even they were confused by the end of the movie.
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AGE
I was watching this movie with a friend, half expecting there to be more "scary" parts. Mostly it was a suspenseful film, with a few "jumping- out- of- nowheres".I like the film, but thats because I'm not a fan of gory- horror films.
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AGE
Cool!
it was a really cool movie! I personally liked it!
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Kid, 12 years old
July 21, 2010
AGE
Not Scary
It wasn't that scary, but it was good.
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AGE
While this movie wasn't scary, it's actually not as terrible as everyone thinks
Everyone on other movie boards, are bashing this movie just because it's PG-13. I actually thought it was decent. There was a good amount of violence and there was a some characters I actually liked. I think you should rent it. It's at least worth seeing once. For sexual content 2/5, there is some kissing and a woman changes her shirt and you can see her bra. For violence 4/5, there is plenty of violence, while most of it is not bloody, the movie is very violent. For profanity, 3/5, there are frequent uses of mild obscenities throughout the film.
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Kid, 10 years old
February 26, 2012
AGE
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Do not bother seeing this movie.The story line is dull.After watching this you will feel bad.I thought that molly looked like 28 instead of 17.Do not waste your time watching this.
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AGE
Confusing!
Ok movie but seriously confusing! xD
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AGE
VERY VILONT!
i begged my parents to let me watch this movie and they finally did........ But we didnt finish it. Infact we werent even close. the firwst 10 minutes or so of the movie was full of kissing, peril, suspense, even partly on screen murderer of a teenage girl, also in the first 10 minutes there was a girl limping with blood all over her face screaming to survive..... Thats when my parents decided to turn the movie off. If the movie was that vilont and brutal for the first 10 minutes then im dyeing to know how vilont the rest of it was.....
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AGE
really bad. it was ok up until the ending and then at the end i was just appalled! awful role models too
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AGE
Message: Evil triumphs over Good
What I thought would be a nice scary movie turned out to be a complete disaster. I'm usually not critical when it comes down to "scary movies" but this one was so disappointing, I was upset for the rest of night ashamed that I even begged my dad to watch it. It was horrible. The message pretty much tells kids that evil always wins and that their is no way to escape the Devil/evil. It also makes Christians look like idiots and religious freaks. And being a christian myself, I was very offended. It also teaches people that God can't save you, and your pretty much on your own. Not a good thing to hear if you are in deprression or in a mid-life crisis. The actors are horrible, the plot was completely useless, and it wasn't scary at all. A three year old could watch it and wouldn't careless. But to me, the message it sent was horrible. I hate to be a movie spoiler, but you might as well know now, or it'll be a waste of your time and your 1 dollar: The devil wins, the dad goes insane, and the lead character allows to be the host of demons. THE END.
Like I said, a complete disaster.
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| Studio: | ShowBiz Studios |
| Director: | Mickey Liddell |
| Cast: | Chace Crawford, Haley Bennett, Jake Weber |
| Genre: | Horror |
| Run time: | 86 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | October 31, 2008 |
| DVD release date: | February 23, 2009 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | strong thematic material, violence and terror, brief strong language and some teen drinking |
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