Parents' Guide to Borley Rectory: The Awakening

Based on a real-life rectory often referred to as "the most haunted house in England," it's a shame this movie doesn't live up to its promise. Borley Rectory: The Awakening is the third in a series of movies about the home, none of which have made much of an impact in the genre. All the requisite pieces are here, but there's very little sense of threat, even as the ghost of a burnt and bloodied priest leers into the camera. A couple of jump scares work, but otherwise the energy and pace feel slow, as though it's a walk-through, going through the motions and ticking the boxes, rather than the real thing. The acting is stilted in places, but Inchbald's Kitty comes through as a likable character to get behind. She's brave and resourceful, but there's no getting away from the lack of momentum in the scenes here. The script tends to spell out the obvious, and there are some random additions thrown in, like a visitation from "good" spirits, that seem out of place. That said, it looks good for the most part, and the bases are all covered in terms of shadowy settings, ghostly presences, strange phenomena, religious influence, and a chilling backstory—it could just do with a little more life breathed in.