An American Haunting

Writer/director Courtney Solomon makes amends for his appalling 2000 debut Dungeons & Dragons with this efficient but predictable supernatural chiller. Based on the legend of the so-called Bell Witch of Tennessee, it sees a wealthy and respected family in early 19th-century America besieged by an aggressive poltergeist. For four years, the spook terrorised the household, singling out John Bell (Donald Sutherland) and his only daughter Betsy (Rachel Hurd-Wood) in increasingly vicious attacks. Every haunting movie from The Exorcist to The Entity is referenced in the disturbing events, to offer a carefully constructed patchwork of fear. However, while individual elements may seem familiar, they're no less effective and hit all the right scary notes thanks to taut direction and a ruthless exploitation of sound and visuals. The acting is also of unusually high quality, with understated performances from Sutherland and his screen wife Sissy Spacek adding depth to a simplistic yet genuinely creepy story.