My recent experiences with horror movies have left me with very low expectations (The Grudge, The Ring 2, White Noise). Maybe it's because my expectations were so low that I was pleasantly surprised by The Amityville Horror. I actually liked it. I can't remember the last time that's happened (with a horror movie). The story of the Lutz family's fateful 28 days in the house has always fascinated me. I remember overhearing my cousin/babysitter discussing the book and  first movie back when I was a kid. All the stuff about Jody (which was a pig with bright demonic eyes  in the book and not a little girl with a teddy bear) really kept me up at  night!

The remake of The Amityville Horror is more like a reimaging than a remake. It uses the book and the 'true' story as its inspiration but then take the story in an entirely new direction. The basics are the same. 23-year-old Ronnie DeFeo killed the six members of his family while they slept. DeFeo claimed that the voices made him do it. A year later, George (Ryan Reynolds) and Kathy (Melissa George) along with her kids, move into the house.  28 days later, they fled the house leaving all their possessions behind them.

The real life George Lutz is not happy with the remake; mainly because director Andrew Douglas decided not to use him as a creative consultant. Personally, I think it was a wise choice. This Amityville Horror is only loosely based on the book and Douglas takes the story into uncharted territory. He was not looking for factual accuracy or realism. If you are looking for a faithful interpretation of the book, you will be sorely disappointed.

The Amityville Horror borrows liberally from other successful horror films. There are shades of The Shining, The Ring as well as Poltergeist in it. Like most remakes of older films, this one benefits from improved technology and special effects.

Let me say this: There must be a special place in heaven for tall men with nice abs! And if there is, Ryan Reynolds will definitely be there. He does a good job as George Lutz, a man who is slowly losing his mind and hearing voices. Melissa George as Kathy has the more difficult job of trying to hold her family together despite the increasingly frantic family.

There were some truly scary moments in The Amityville Horror. While it might not be a success with critics, it's definitely a crowd pleaser.