Dear readers, as a property owner myself I am familiar with the sorts of difficulties that arise from home ownership. The dings, dents, creaks and creases that form over time are simply unavoidable. I have been meaning to call a handyman about a section of piping in the basement where, if you listen closely, you can hear a child whispering the Lord’s Prayer in reverse. I tried to impress upon my dear Penny Dee that it’s really just the one spot and we hardly spend any time in the basement anyways but she’s insistent, my little perfectionist! And so a professional shall be summoned. 

Unfortunately, the ills that plague the latest family to purchase 112 Ocean Avenue are far beyond the reach of your average household repairperson. At a prodigious seventeen entries, the cinematic residents of the “Amityville Horror” house have now entered some considerable numbers (I cannot even begin to express my shame at only having seen the first seven Amityville films and I hope that more versed readers will be patient with any gross demonstrations of my ignorance). The newest occupants include James (Cameron Monaghan), a sickly young man who has found himself in a vegetative condition after taking a considerable tumble. The house has a miraculous rehabilitating effect and soon he is making the kind of strides that modern science deemed impossible. 

But to what dark forces does James owe his considerable turnaround? I sense, dear reader, that you have guessed it -- they are very same ones that have plagued this house sixteen times prior, turning an innocuous suburban abode into a bloodthirsty hellmouth and forcing family members to become family murderers. Luckily, James’ sister Belle (Bella Thorne) befriends a kindly cinephile who happens to carry around a copy of the original film and she quickly becomes savvy to the sinister implications behind her brother’s recovery. 

Much was made of Amityville: The Awakening’s rather feeble performance at the box office and the film’s reputation has not improved in the critical circuit, where many of my peers have absolutely dashed the thing in their own reviews. Certainly, few people were rooting for the success of a movie partially funded by the brothers Weinstein, whose fortunes have been rightly sunk by news of ungentlemanly conduct. It is a sad fate for a perfectly enjoyable return to a familiar house of horror, featuring effective frights, quality effects and solid performances. Though Ryan Reynolds can boast of being more of a marquee star than the latest Amityville transplants, I dare say I have not seen a more capable set of thespians cross that notorious threshold since the original. Jennifer Jason Leigh is particularly good as a family matriarch that is more than a little willing to overlook satanic intrusion in favor of her son’s good health.

I can only hope that another seventeen Amityville films from now, people will look back at Amityville: The Awakening and view it as a worthy addition to the canon.

Amityville: The Awakening runs 85 minutes and is rated R for strong horror violence and for language.