Haunted house horror movies are often stuffed with cliches that have been used a million times before. Slashers continue to impress fans, with Bodies Bodies Bodies making a splash this past summer, and there is always room for original horror like The Black Phone and the upcoming thriller Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. But the 2022 horror film Abandoned, which stars Emma Roberts, proves that many movies about properties with ghosts who won't go away are often full of cliches.

An old home that is out in the country and features creaky floorboards, things that go bump in the night, and a hint of darkness is always going to be a good horror movie setting. Is it possible to make a horror film about a creepy house that feels brand new and different?

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Abandoned was released in June 2022 and stars Emma Roberts as Sara Davis, a woman who moves into a new house with her husband Alex (John Gallagher Jr.) and their baby boy. It includes many tired haunted house movie cliches as a ghost haunts the property, there are jump scares, and a neighbor Chris Renner (Michael Shannon) who knows what really happened. This begs the question: is it possible to make a really original haunted house horror film after there have been so many cliched ones?

Emma Roberts and John Gallagher Jr. in Abandoned (2022) Movie

There are a few underrated haunted house movies, including Haunt (2019) which is set at an actual haunted house on Halloween that is open to the public. But for the most part, most movies about a haunted home go through the same plot points and tropes that fans have seen so many times before, and it seems tough to find a unique gem that is worth watching.

The Woman In The House... has horror/thriller tropes that it makes fun of, including the main character seeming to be unstable and to suffer from mental health issues. This is problematic and insulting, and Emma Roberts's character Sara is dealing with postpartum depression in Abandoned. She is having trouble bonding with her baby, which is an important topic to discuss. But while this subject deserves to be treated with care, its inclusion in a haunted house horror movie is a problem. This plays into the trope of a woman who is "crazy" and can't be trusted.

Several movies focusing on eerie properties out in the middle of nowhere all blend into each other. Like Abandoned, they focus on generic characters and families who want a fresh start with fresh air and room for their children to play. The movie feels similar to The Messengers, one of the worst haunted house movies, as both feature a strange neighbor who knows more than he lets on and a couple who might not figure out the house's dark history in time to survive.

poltergeist-movie

Poltergeist is a timeless 1980s horror movie and an early example of the haunted house movie. A family lives in a home that they have no idea is actually on ancient burial ground, which causes supernatural disturbances and results in ghosts communicating with their young daughter. Since the movie was made several decades ago, it feels unique and free of cliches, which is refreshing to see. But the 2015 Poltergeist remake is missing a lot and doesn't add anything to the story that audiences already know. Seeing a child get swept up in the paranormal is what makes this movie stand out.

It's definitely possible to make an impressive and original haunted house horror movie. The most popular movies featuring this setting have unique characters, genuinely interesting homes that look cool, and a few twists for good measure. It's not enough to have a couple struggling with their marriage, as this feels like the same old, same old. It's also boring to have a spirit who wants revenge or who will always haunt whoever lives in this place. The ghosts themselves need to look genuinely creepy and to have a good backstory that feels emotional.

Sinister is one of the most popular Blumhouse horror movies and does a great job with the idea of a family moving into a new home full of hopes and dreams and being stunned by what they find there. Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke) thinks that the house's brutal history will work wonders for the true crime book he wants to write, but of course, as fans know, that thought goes out the window pretty quickly. Sinister creates a memorable and horrifying backstory for a home, and that's why this movie stands out and endures.

Future films with this setting should feature characters who leave a positive impression and who audiences actually get to know, along with a house that looks more interesting than a generic old, falling apart place that obviously has ghosts.

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