What could potentially have been a very interesting and unique horror movie, ended up being a generic storyline suffering at the hands of the writers.

The story did have potential, but writers Andrew C. Erin and Daniel Farrands might have had ideas that were great, but they just failed to transcribe those idea over into something that would translate into something great and interesting on the screen. No, the story just permeated mediocrity and half-heartedness all the way through. Furthermore, it didn't help one bit that the storyline was completely devoid of anything even remotely scary.

What did work out quite well in favor of the movie was the house and the design idea behind it. There were some very interesting ideas and concepts here that were quite nicely brought to life on the screen. But again, it just lacked that element of horror.

"Havenhurst" also had some adequate acting performances to boast it, although they were struggling with a very inadequate script, and it was weighing the actors and actresses down visibly on the screen.

For a horror movie, I will say that "Havenhurst" belongs more in the mystery genre with just a hint of thriller to it. Which are the tags of the genre here on IMDb. I just sat down to watch it because I thought it was going to be a horror movie. So I was naturally very disappointed with the end result.

"Havenhurst" is a mediocre movie that came and went without any fanfare and without leaving any impressions in the horror genre, because it just wasn't equipped with fangs or nails.

'Havenhurst' drew me into seeing it, with a cool poster, an intriguing idea and as someone with a general appreciation for horror. That it was low-budget, which from frequent personal experience is rarely a good sign due to that there are so many poor ones out there, made me though apprehensive.

Found the film to be very weak, its worst elements being pretty awful, with a lot more wrong than right. 'Havenhurst' is not great, or good, has a fair share of problems (fairly big ones too) and doesn't do enough with its potential, which was hardly small. There are however a few decent, even good, qualities in 'Havenhurst'.

Lets start with the positives. The scenery is atmospheric, likewise with the very nice way it's shot. The music is suitably spooky and quirky and doesn't distract at all from the atmosphere, while not exactly enhancing it.

Julie Benz does her best, although her terrible material defeats her and would be beneath even the worst actresses.

However, the story does feel over-stretched and some of it feels vague, under-explained. The more 'Havenhurst' progressed, the duller, more predictable, more senseless and less scary it got, and too many characters are too sketchy and with nowhere near enough to make one want to endear to them. Their irritating and illogical decision making and behaviours insult the intelligence. Making the film feel bland and forgettable with not enough heart put into it.

Acting is not good aside from Benz.

Dialogue can be stilted and rambling while the pace is uneven, dragging in a lot of the second half and never is it exciting. Found the supposedly shocking moments not surprising or scary and the supposedly creepy atmosphere dreary, due to the excessive obviousness and the lack of tension and suspense, and the ending is badly bungled for reasons too numerous to list, just felt muddled and anti-climactic.

In conclusion, very weak but not unwatchable. 3/10 Bethany Cox

RESURRECTION OF EVIL (original title: HAVENHURST) is another cheap haunted house flick with a gloomy digital look and nothing to recommend it for seasoned viewers of the genre. RAMBO actress Julie Benz plays a messed-up woman who becomes a tenant of an old rambing apartment building that turns out to be haunted by the ghost of a serial killer. Cheap gore effects, noisy screaming and lots of attempts at suspenseful dialogue are the order of the day here, but none of it works very well and you'll be itching to switch it off long before the end.