Haunted Mansion (2023) 👻

“Welcome, foolish mortals…”


—

🎬 Let’s start by showing y’all the trailer shall we?

When Disney announced they were making another Haunted Mansion movie, I honestly wasn’t sure what to think.

The Eddie Murphy version had already become one of those movies I grew up with.

Was it perfect?

No.

Was it dumb?

Absolutely.

Did I still love it?

Yep.

So when Disney came along twenty years later and said they were trying again, my first reaction was basically:

“Alright Disney, let’s see what you got.”

And honestly?

I ended up liking this movie a lot more than I expected.

Not because it’s amazing.

Not because it’s some hidden masterpiece.

But because unlike the 2003 version, this one actually feels like the people making it were obsessed with the ride.

Every corner of this movie feels like somebody walked through Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion and took notes.

Lots and lots of notes.


—

Non-Spoiler Thoughts

One thing I immediately appreciated is that this movie doesn’t feel like a remake of the Eddie Murphy film.

It’s its own thing.

New characters.

New story.

New approach.

Instead of focusing heavily on comedy, this version leans much harder into mystery, supernatural adventure, and surprisingly emotional character drama.

And honestly?

That works for it.

The biggest strength of this movie is that it understands the attraction better than the 2003 version did.

The older movie captured the spooky atmosphere.

This movie captures the actual ride.

The stretching room.

The ghostly imagery.

Madame Leota.

The Hatbox Ghost.

The wallpaper.

The endless references.

If you’re a fan of the attraction, there’s a ridiculous amount of stuff to notice.

Sometimes it almost feels like the movie is showing off how many references it can fit into a single scene.


—

The Cast

One thing this movie absolutely nailed was the cast.

LaKeith Stanfield plays Ben, a former astrophysicist who’s struggling with grief after losing his wife.

That’s not exactly the most Disney ride movie premise imaginable, but it gives the film an emotional center that I wasn’t expecting.

Stanfield does a really good job carrying the movie because Ben feels like an actual person instead of just a guy running around a haunted house.

Then you’ve got Owen Wilson.

Danny DeVito.

Rosario Dawson.

Tiffany Haddish.

Jamie Lee Curtis.

Jared Leto.

The cast is stacked.

Sometimes it almost feels too stacked.

Like Disney walked into Hollywood and just started collecting actors like Pokémon cards.

But for the most part everyone works.

Danny DeVito especially feels like he’s having the time of his life.


—

The Mansion

Just like the 2003 version, the mansion itself steals the show.

The difference is that this mansion feels closer to the attraction.

You can tell Disney wanted fans of the ride to constantly point at the screen and go:

“I know that!”

And honestly, it works.

The house feels huge.

The hallways feel endless.

The ghost effects look fantastic.

The production design is incredible.

The mansion constantly feels alive.

Not in a comforting way.

In a “this building is actively judging me” kind of way.

Every room feels cursed.

Every hallway feels haunted.

Every portrait looks like it’s waiting for something horrible to happen.

Which, to be fair, is usually exactly what’s happening.


—

The Hatbox Ghost

The MVP of the entire movie has to be the Hatbox Ghost.

This dude is creepy.

Like genuinely creepy.

For years he was one of the most famous characters from the attraction, and Disney clearly knew fans were waiting for him.

So when he finally appears, they make sure he leaves an impression.

The glowing eyes.

The disappearing head.

The voice.

The design.

Everything about him works.

He’s easily the most memorable ghost in the movie.

And unlike some Disney villains that become less intimidating the longer they’re on screen, this guy somehow gets creepier the more we learn about him.


—

The Humor

The comedy is probably where the movie gets a little mixed.

Some jokes land.

Some don’t.

A few scenes feel genuinely funny.

Others feel like Disney remembered halfway through production that families were supposed to laugh occasionally.

The cast does their best with the material.

The problem isn’t really the actors.

It’s that sometimes the movie isn’t sure if it wants to be funny, emotional, spooky, or adventurous.

Most of the time it balances those elements pretty well.

But every now and then you can feel the gears grinding.


—

The Plot

One thing I appreciate is that the movie actually has something to say.

At its core, this is a story about grief.

Almost every major character is dealing with loss in some way.

Ben is dealing with loss.

The mansion itself is built around people unable to move on.

The ghosts are trapped by the past.

The villains are trapped by the past.

Everybody is carrying emotional baggage.

And while that sounds really heavy for a Disney movie based on a theme park ride, it actually works surprisingly well.

The emotional story gives the supernatural stuff more weight.

The ghosts aren’t just there to jump out and say boo.

They’re connected to the movie’s themes.


—

What Works

The mansion looks incredible.

The Hatbox Ghost is fantastic.

The cast is excellent.

The ride references are everywhere.

The production design is gorgeous.

The ghost effects are great.

The emotional story works better than expected.

The atmosphere is consistently strong.

It feels like a love letter to the attraction.


—

What Doesn’t Work

The pacing can drag.

Some jokes don’t land.

The movie occasionally feels too long.

A few characters don’t get enough development.

The tonal balance isn’t always perfect.

Sometimes it feels like Disney wanted a comedy, a ghost story, and a drama all at once.


—

Final Thoughts

The funny thing about these two Haunted Mansion movies is that they almost feel like opposites.

The Eddie Murphy version is goofy, chaotic, and completely ridiculous.

The 2023 version is more emotional, more faithful to the ride, and takes itself a little more seriously.

Which one is better?

Honestly, that’s going to depend on what you’re looking for.

If you want a fun Halloween movie with Eddie Murphy fighting ghosts, I’m probably reaching for the 2003 version.

If you want something that feels closer to the actual attraction, the 2023 version wins pretty easily.

Personally, I enjoy both.

They’re trying to do completely different things.

And because of that, I don’t really feel the need to compare them too harshly.


—

Rating

7.5/10

A surprisingly heartfelt and visually impressive Haunted Mansion adaptation that understands the attraction better than ever, even if the pacing and tonal balancing occasionally hold it back.


—

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING ⚠️

Everything beyond this point contains spoilers for Haunted Mansion (2023).


—

Spoilers

The thing that surprised me most about this movie was how emotional Ben’s story ended up being.

Going into the film, I expected ghosts.

I expected spooky hallways.

I expected Disney references.

I did not expect a movie about a man who completely shut himself off from life after losing his wife.

LaKeith Stanfield sells that storyline extremely well.

His grief never feels fake.

You understand why he’s stuck.

You understand why he’s avoiding people.

And because of that, his eventual growth throughout the movie actually feels earned.

Then there’s the Hatbox Ghost.

Honestly, every time he showed up the movie got better.

The design is fantastic.

The voice is creepy.

The head-switching gimmick never gets old.

And unlike a lot of modern Disney villains, he actually feels threatening.

The reveal that he’s manipulating events from behind the scenes helps make him feel more important than just another ghost.

One thing I loved was how much attention Disney gave to the attraction itself.

The stretching room sequence was great.

Madame Leota was great.

The visual references were everywhere.

Half the fun of the movie is spotting all the ride callbacks.

It genuinely feels like the filmmakers loved the attraction.

The finale gets pretty wild.

Ghosts everywhere.

Supernatural chaos.

Characters confronting their pasts.

The mansion practically exploding with paranormal activity.

It’s a lot.

But unlike the Eddie Murphy version, the emotional core remains the focus.

The climax isn’t really about defeating a ghost.

It’s about moving forward.

It’s about letting go.

It’s about accepting loss without allowing it to control your life forever.

That’s honestly a pretty mature message for a movie based on a Disney ride.

By the time the credits rolled, I found myself appreciating the movie more than I expected.

It’s not perfect.

It runs a little long.

Some jokes miss the mark.

But it has heart.

And that’s ultimately what made it work for me.

While I still think the Eddie Murphy version is more fun, I think the 2023 version is probably the better movie overall.

It’s spooky.

It’s emotional.

It’s faithful to the attraction.

And for a movie based on a theme park ride, that’s honestly a pretty impressive achievement.

Anyways hope y’all enjoy today’s review