RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / The Amityville Horror
The Amityville Horror

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

The Amityville Horror (2005)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
24 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:155

Fresh:37

Rotten:118

Average Rating:4.2/10

Consensus: A so-so remake of a so-so original.

Rated: 15 [See Full Rating] for violence and terror, sexuality, language and brief drug use.

Runtime: 89 mins

Genre: Horror/Suspense

Theatrical Release:15-04-2005

Synopsis: This frightening remake of the 1979 horror classic from producer Michael Bay (THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE) delves deeper into the supposedly true story of supernatural events that occurred in a... This frightening remake of the 1979 horror classic from producer Michael Bay (THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE) delves deeper into the supposedly true story of supernatural events that occurred in a Long Island, New York home in the '70s. When George and Kathy Lutz (Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George) come across a beautiful river-front colonial home being sold for a steal, they suspect a catch. Once informed that the home was the site of a grisly mass murder, they decide to buy the house anyway and eagerly move in, bringing with them Kathy's three children from a previous marriage. While no one can deny that the house is rife with spooky sounds, the family members try to put their fears at bay. But over time, strange occurrences start happening, becoming more and more frequent, and these events start to have a transformative effect on several family members. Kathy's daughter starts to act bizarrely, ending up in a variety of life-threatening situations, led by her new, not-so-imaginary friend Jody (one of the children slaughtered in the house years before by her older brother). Likewise, something strange seems to be happening to George. His usually sweet demeanor is replaced with a hostile one, and he starts cruelly taking out his aggression on Kathy's children. Kathy's original assumption that a house cannot be evil is challenged as she watches her husband transform into the sort of man that just might be capable of murdering his family. Faster-paced than the original, THE AMITYVILLE HORROR keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with quick editing, suspenseful music, and moderately graphic violence. The two leads give quality performances, and seem to inhabit the decade in which the story is set despite the film's slick, contemporary production. [More]

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Melissa George, Jimmy Bennett, Jesse James

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Melissa George, Jimmy Bennett, Jesse James, Chloe Grace Moretz, Philip Baker Hall

Director: Michael Bay

Director: Michael Bay
Screenwriter: Sandor Stern, Scott Kosar
Producer: Andrew Form, Michael Bay, Brad Fuller
Studio: MGM/UA

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • The Amityville Horror Trailer
    >
1 of 1

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for The Amityville Horror

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
04/01/06
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Reynolds is well cast in the lead - it's genuinely upsetting as the house starts to chip away at his Nice Guy persona. He also spends a huge amount of the film either half-naked or dripping wet, if you like that sort of thing.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
05/14/05
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

An efficient, schlocky remake from the guys who disinterred The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Amityville Horror is actually slightly better than its 1979 inspiration.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
05/14/05
Paul Arendt
Paul Arendt
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

I can't escape the feeling that if you were to put me in a room with an editing machine, the raw footage, and a collection of sound effects, I could have made a better film.

Full Review Source: FilmFocus | comment Comment
05/14/05
Scott Andrews
Scott Andrews
FilmFocus

That it's based on true events makes it much more fascinating, even though the filmmakers have bent the story to fit the structure of a horror film.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
04/18/05
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
04/29/09
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed

This is a slightly better-than-expected remake of the 1979 film of the same name.

Full Review Source: Cinefantastique | comment Comment
03/10/09
Steve Biodrowski
Steve Biodrowski
Cinefantastique
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
10/18/08
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
08/07/08
Jim Lane
Jim Lane
Sacramento News & Review

Less frightening than just unpleasant.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
07/23/07
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Big Picture Big Sound | comment Comment
07/14/07
Joe Lozito
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound

Against the odds, the remake rivals the original for sheer mediocrity.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
03/01/07
Ethan Alter
Ethan Alter
Film Journal International

the original wasn't really that great, nor did it have a substantial cult following to justify a remake. So, unusual as it may be, this remake is a much, much better film.

Full Review Source: Movies for the Masses | comment Comment
09/10/06
Joseph Proimakis
Joseph Proimakis
Movies for the Masses

The best thing I can say about Andrew Douglas's remake of The Amityville Horror is that it gave me a reason to track down the original film.

Full Review Source: Christianity Today | comment Comment
09/01/06
Peter T. Chattaway
Peter T. Chattaway
Christianity Today

The movie's only aspiration is to be a jacked-up re-jiggering of a name-brand horror 'classic.' It sets out to be not just schlock, but pre-chewed schlock.

Full Review Source: MTV | comment Comment
02/07/06
Kurt Loder
Kurt Loder
MTV

The Amityville Horror is just another decidedly bland, but mildly entertaining, horror film churned out in the rush to cash in on the reemergence of horror in Hollywood.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Heidi Martinuzzi
Heidi Martinuzzi
Film Threat

... The Amityville Horror is the best horror movie of the year so far. Faint praise, to be sure, but at least it's R-rated.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Pete Vonder Haar
Pete Vonder Haar
Film Threat

Douglas logra varios momentos de tensión en los que, si se va al cine con la suficiente intención de disfrutar la película, llega a generar uno que otro buen susto.

Full Review Source: Moviola | comment Comment
11/28/05
Jorge Avila Andrade
Jorge Avila Andrade
Moviola

out-fakes the first film ups the dosage.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
10/03/05
James Brundage
James Brundage
Filmcritic.com
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
all

Latest News for The Amityville Horror

April 09, 2007: Check Out the First Trailer for Zombie's "Halloween"
After months of news droplets regarding Rob Zombie's new rendition of John Carpenter's "Halloween," we now have our very first look at some footage, and guess what? It... More...

January 15, 2007: Producer Thinks Naomi Watts is for "The Birds"
It's remake heaven. Platinum Dunes producer Brad Fuller has his sights on adding "The Birds" to his slate -- which already includes "The Hitcher,"... More...

October 05, 2006: Box Office Guru Preview: "Departed" Arrives with a Bang
Movie studios are offering something for every age group over the Columbus Day holiday weekend. Mature adults will go undercover with Martin Scorsese's cop thriller "The... More...

April 26, 2006: Get Your Goofy MTV Movie Awards Noms Right Here
You thought the awards season ended with the Oscars? Please. MTV's just gearing up for their movie awards, which will be broadcast worldwide on June 8th -- but we have all the... More...

See All

More DVDs

Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
15% 15% The Ugly Truth
98% 98% Up
36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
95% 95% Star Trek
67% 67% Bruno
47% 47% My Sister's Keeper
66% 66% Is Anybody There?
82% 82% Thirst

More New Releases…

What’s Hot On RT

Prince of Persia

Prince of Persia

Your first look at the swashbuckler.

Vampires

Vampires

We rank cinema's bloodsuckers.

Avatar

Avatar

The full trailer for Cameron's epic.

2012

2012

12 facts about Emmerich's disaster flick.

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
42
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
110
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
  • 6 Reasons 'Twilight' Is Doomed Source: The Wrap
60
  • Forbes Names Hollywood's Most Overpaid Actors Source: Forbes
20
  • Chris Weitz Says He's (Almost) Done with Directing Source: Film School Rejects
26
  • Spider-Man 4 Casting Rumors Multiply Like Rabbits Source: Deadline Hollywood Daily
51
  • McTeigue Says Superman Is "In a Weird Place" Source: MTV
204
  • Rachel McAdams Debunks Spider-Man 4 Rumor Source: Entertainment Weekly
117
  • Avatar: Gambling on Film's Future Source: Los Angeles Times
128
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Critics Consensus: New Moon Wanes
106
  • Tomatometer Watch: Will Twilight's New Moon Dazzle?
96
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: 2012 Destroys the Competition
85
  • Total Recall: Star-Crossed Lovers
61
  • Five Favorite Films with Werner Herzog
49
  • Friday Harvest: New Moon, Avatar, and more!
25
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
21
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
19
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
8
  • Ho, ho, ho! It's RT's Great Big Gift Guide!
0
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
8
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
19
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
6
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
16
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
  • Emma Stone talks Zombieland - RT Interview
41
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • The Amityville Horror at Rotten Tomatoes
  • The Amityville Horror at IGN
  • The Amityville Horror at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
RT on YouTube
RT on YouTube External Link

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

RT on Twitter
RT on Twitter External Link

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.