The Haunting of Hill House - The Haunting of Hill House

I avoided this series for a long time because Mike Flanagan's work doesn't really suit me, but I gave it a chance, and unfortunately, my skepticism towards was confirmed. It took me less than three weeks to watch it, while I usually manage to watch series in two days. You’ll probably crucify me, as I know how much people love this series, but I didn't find anything positive in it that would entertain me. On the contrary, I have never been annoyed by so many things as here. The series is primarily a drama, and the horror genre plays a secondary role, which is my first criticism. I'm not going to wait two episodes for a jump-scare. The characters are unlikeable and annoying. No one is funny, smart, or entertaining. All the characters seemed interchangeable, and I didn't care about their fate at all. The intertwining of the past with the present didn't sit well with me, as the atmosphere of the mansion was quite good, and I liked the setting, but when that atmosphere is suddenly replaced with family drama (do we really have to deal with accounting in a horror??) and a funeral that would last five minutes elsewhere is stretched to an incredible two episodes, it was the final nail in the coffin for me. I can praise the ghosts – the lady with the crooked neck and the man with the hat could easily fit into The Conjuring universe – but in those ten hours, they were shown less than three times, and that is pitifully little. It is funny that the story ends where it should have started. So, if the whole series had taken place in the mansion, with the ghosts wreaking havoc there for a full ten hours, I would have been satisfied, but the director chose the drama genre and relied on emotions, and that's not what I seek. The sleep-inducing pace, where not much happens in an episode, didn't really help me with watching. I will avoid the second season like the devil avoids crosses. I believe that women like this series because of the drama, the emotions, and children, but for me, it was a chore. Story***, Action>No, Humor>No, Violence>No, Entertainment**, Music***, Visuals****, Atmosphere***, Tension**. 4/10. (28.12.2020)

I consider the horror genre to be one of the most challenging to perfect. Balancing a well-constructed story with a heavy horror atmosphere spiced with scares that don’t come off as cheap or obvious is nearly an unrealistic task for most horror creators. But director Flanagan succeeded brilliantly. In fact, I haven’t seen a better horror drama yet (and that includes feature films). The Haunting of Hill House shone in every aspect; I honestly couldn’t find a single flaw to critique, which I find astonishing. The narrative, set in the present with flashbacks to 26 years ago, initially seemed quite chaotic, but as the series progressed toward its finale, all the raised questions were answered in a way that must have satisfied every viewer. I haven’t seen such a powerful family story on screen before. Many actors have gained incredible visibility from this project, and I believe it will boost their careers, and we’ll see them in many more projects. The child actors were astounding, shedding any fears of public acting and delivering performances that left me in awe. Everything is complemented by incredibly stylish music, captivating and high-quality visuals, excellent cinematography that keeps the viewer engaged, and a chilling atmosphere that burrows deep into your bones (a few scenes almost gave me a heart attack). Besides episodes five and six, which are rightly praised to the skies, the final two episodes blew me away. Whether through the precise conclusion of this gripping story, outstanding dialogues that will resonate with you for a long time, or the emotionally intense moments that will have you reaching for tissues, this series left a deep impression. Mike Flanagan is a name that has etched itself in my memory under the heading PERFECTIONISM IN EVERY ASPECT. And that’s not going to change. For me, it's 100%. (26.10.2020)

Since "a ghost can be a memory", as one character says, this series is 100% ghostly. It's also such a throwback to the good horror days, with characters who, while not always shying away from cliché, were able to work it so cleverly that no one minded. I have to admire Mike Flanagan for the great, honestly old-fashioned atmosphere he was able to create, and for the way he tells it at the same time. The story is cleverly constructed, each episode and scene another stroke for the overall picture, the characters are perfectly written and acted to a tee – I couldn't help but think of Six Feet Under. And then there are the ghosts... the ghosts... they are definitely ghosts! The bowler-hatted long man quickly ranked among the best I've ever seen, not to mention the lady with the bent neck (brilliantly punctuated in episode five). The way they appear beautifully defies everything we've been served in horror films of recent years – no cheap boo and noise, just a chilling revelation of something that's suddenly there... and deal with it. I was really pleased with everything, and since Flanagan made it clear, especially in the final episodes, that he was very fond of Kubrick's The Shining, I'm convinced that Doctor Sleep is in good hands. (04.11.2019)

I really liked the elaborate design, the well-chosen cast, and the whole leading of the original story from The Haunting in another direction. I can imagine Mike Flanagan coming to the Netflix people with "I have a great idea for a three-part miniseries for you," and they said "You're right, that's a really great idea, but you'll actually do ten episodes.", and that's the stumbling block here. The plot of The Haunting of Hill House is so stretched out, that it is filled with fluff and flashback clichés just to get to the tenth installment. I have to say that after the climax, which is the 5th episode (with the familiar face of Russ Tamblyn), I had quite a problem watching the remaining parts. For a series that takes place over a very short period of time and everything being very much predictable from the start, and really you're just waiting for it to fill in the details, the character’s motivation and watch some scary scenes here and there, the overall pacing is inexcusably stretched beyond credibility. After the hours you have put in and can never get back, the final part hits you with eye-watering sunshine that makes your head spin. It looked nice but was just way too long. (01.02.2021)

I rarely happen to be so pleasantly surprised by a horror series. Sure, it wasn’t strictly a horror story, and much of its success was due to the family drama, but that makes no difference to me. The whole thing had a great atmosphere, well-managed suspense, interesting characters and, most importantly, an engagingly written story. I enjoyed it very much. (06.12.2020)