New To Blu: The Apparition

Just when I thought American horror had taken a few steps forward, it takes three steps back with this latest genre entry, The Apparition. What starts off as a creepy blend of Paranormal Activity and Poltergeist, ends up being an absolute travesty of modern horror film. The movie trudges along through one cliche after another while the cast does their best to make us think that something really scary is happening. Unfortunately, their talents aren't very convincing.

I could go on and on about the merits of classic American horror, but that wouldn't get us anywhere. The Apparition is just another case of a film that tries really hard to bring back some old school scare techniques, but ultimately falls flat on poor direction and a youthful cast that doesn't have the skills or script to pull it off. There are a few frightful scenes that rely heavily on shadows and music and it never veers off in to being a gory film. However, the film is far too weighted by bad decisions and terrible writing.

If you're in to horror or haunting films, maybe give this a glance but don't expect much. I found Sinister to be a far more entertaining film that truly delivered a successful take on the modern horror genre. This may qualify as a rental only. Do not waste your money picking this one up on blu-ray come Tuesday. It's not worth your money.