Jan de Bont’s The Haunting is a glossy, visually ambitious remake of the 1963 classic horror film, itself based on Shirley Jackson’s novel The Haunting of Hill House. While the 1999 version boasts an impressive cast and opulent production design, it ultimately fails to deliver consistent tension or meaningful character development.

The film follows Eleanor “Nell” Vance (Lili Taylor), a lonely and fragile woman who joins a sleep study conducted by Dr. David Marrow (Liam Neeson) at the mysterious Hill House. Alongside her are the bold and flirtatious Theo (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and the skeptical Luke (Owen Wilson). Unbeknownst to them, the study is not about sleep at all—but fear. As the group settles into the eerie, grandiose mansion, they begin experiencing inexplicable supernatural events, leading Nell to uncover the house’s disturbing past involving child abuse, death, and vengeful spirits.

What The Haunting does well is atmosphere. The set design is elaborate and gothic, with towering statues, shadowy halls, and intricately carved woodwork that suggest a fairytale gone wrong. The cinematography heightens the dreamlike mood, and the use of sound helps create an unsettling tone. Lili Taylor delivers a sensitive and committed performance, portraying Nell as both emotionally wounded and quietly brave.

However, where the film falters is in its overreliance on CGI and a plot that becomes increasingly incoherent. Rather than embracing subtle psychological horror, the movie opts for loud, bombastic set pieces and predictable jump scares. The scares feel manufactured rather than earned, and the emotional resonance of the characters’ traumas is undercut by the excessive visual spectacle. While Zeta-Jones and Wilson bring charm, their characters lack depth and development.

In the end, The Haunting is a beautiful-looking but hollow ghost story—more style than substance. It may entertain viewers looking for a polished, spooky aesthetic, but those expecting true psychological horror or faithful adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s novel may leave disappointed.