The Haunted Mansion (2003)

13% of critics liked it
(135 reviews)
41% of users liked it
(122,368 ratings)

After the blockbuster success of Pirates of the Caribbean, another Disney theme park ride is adapted for the big screen in this family-friendly mix of comedy and chills. Jim Evers (Eddie Murphy) is a real estate agent whose latest project is to find a buyer for a huge but dilapidated old house in… More After the blockbuster success of Pirates of the Caribbean, another Disney theme park ride is adapted for the big screen in this family-friendly mix of comedy and chills. Jim Evers (Eddie Murphy) is a real estate agent whose latest project is to find a buyer for a huge but dilapidated old house in New Orleans. However, when Evers visits the property with his family, he discovers it's already inhabited by 999 ghosts, none of whom are interested in sharing the space. As the spirits make their displeasure known, Evers and his family try to shoo them away with the help of an eccentric medium named Madame Leota (Jennifer Tilly). The Haunted Mansion also stars Terence Stamp, Don Knotts, and Wallace Shawn. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 28 min.
Directed By: Rob Minkoff
Written By: David Berenbaum
Genres: Horror, Kids & Family, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy

In Theaters: Nov 26, 2003 Wide
On DVD: Apr 20, 2004
Studio: Buena Vista Pictures

Critic Reviews

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
[I]t's dreadful.
Brian Parks, Village Voice
Rob Minkoff has directed a movie that's nearly laughless and nowhere near as frightening as what's happened to Eddie Murphy's career.
Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter
A pleasant and atmospheric family romp, offering enough mildly chilling thrills to keep everyone entertained during its brief running time.
Bill Muller, Arizona Republic
More Disneyland ride than movie, short on plot and long on dazzling visuals for the kiddies.
Jen Chaney, Washington Post
The point of Haunted Mansion is for audiences to sit back and enjoy the ride, which is easy to do thanks to an engaging story, the striking, Gothic-inspired set by Oscar-winner John Myhre and some delightful special effects.
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
It's perfectly palatable family fare for a long weekend when it's hard to find movies at the neighborhood 'plex that will please everyone.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Go on the Disney ride instead. It's over sooner.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
When a Disney ride becomes a movie, there's not much hope that things will turn out as well as they do in this tame horror comedy.
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
Great visuals, few scares and laughs. But it IS clean family entertainment.
Joe Utichi, FilmFocus
Beautiful production design and bags of promise give way to disappointment in this family comedy.
Vince Koehler, Entertainment Spectrum
A thunderstorm of mysterious origin traps the old mansion.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
The movie is too cartoonish to be scary and too dull to be funny.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
Regardless of all the ghosts, or maybe because of them, The Haunted Mansion is one lifeless, spiritless affair.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
Who would have thought that Buena Vista Home Entertainment would do right by The Haunted Mansion but not Kill Bill: Volume 1?

Read all 14 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

moon r

Only one long commercial for the Disney amusement park attraction, with Murphy in the onerous stereotype of scared jiggaboo pitchman. Stamp does his best to raise the material past the bar but to no avail. A pox on Unca Walt.
Brad W

I enjoy it once and a while, but it was just never really my thing.
Alexander D

Funny at some parts, but Eddie Murphy is awful--again.
Lucas M

Terrible story, screenplay and direction made, The Haunted Mansion, is useless film. Rotten.
Bently L

It's kind of funny but it's not scary and the plot is kinda stupid. Can't wait for Guilemro Del Toro's reboot!!!
Kyle F

It's suitably creepy with a cast of likable characters. Eddy Murphy does well as the lead,and though it shares some of the flaws that most live action Disney movies have, it has less of those flaws than might be expected.
Richard C

C+
Dead A

Nice.
KJ P

Very disappointing! I expected it to be hilarious!
Wahida K

It is not creepy, it is not funny, it is not stupid. It is Eddie Murphy Movie.
danny d

harmless and fairly entertaining family adventure. they should have done more with the house and less with the fairly silly plot but overall a decent watch for family movie night.
Morgan S

I saw this when it first came out...i was in 3rd grade so i diddnt remeber it at all but i watched it now (6 years later)! and i found out i really liked this story line!
Tim S

Probably not the best opinion, but I enjoyed this family-friendly spook ride.
Mike S

What happened to Eddie Murphy's once-so-shiny career? Who or what ignited the fuse that so quickly became an explosion of mediocre movies with him on the cover? I mean, going from A-grade comedies like "Coming to America" and "Shrek", to instantly forgettable… More
What happened to Eddie Murphy's once-so-shiny career? Who or what ignited the fuse that so quickly became an explosion of mediocre movies with him on the cover? I mean, going from A-grade comedies like "Coming to America" and "Shrek", to instantly forgettable family films like this one, is no less of a tragedy than the fate of the Titanic. That isn't to say it's horrible though. In fact, it is fairly entertaining and does do its source material justice (the Disneyland attraction with the same name that is), even if it mostly serves as an example of how short Hollywood has become on original ideas.
Jennifer X

I can't think of a thing I like about this movie.
Lafe F

Not like the ride. Eddie Murphy made it funny, not scary. Lots of great ghostly CGI effects. Terence Stamp played a wonderful master-ghost. They needed to cram more references from the actual ride into this movie. It seemed over-inhabited; I always thought it should be more abandoned.… More
Not like the ride. Eddie Murphy made it funny, not scary. Lots of great ghostly CGI effects. Terence Stamp played a wonderful master-ghost. They needed to cram more references from the actual ride into this movie. It seemed over-inhabited; I always thought it should be more abandoned. Madam Leota (the head inside the crystal ball) should stick to seances instead of flying all over the place. Nice opening credits however. Disney probably whipped this one up in response to the success of Pirates of the Carribean movie, but I think it was being produced at the same time. An ultimate Haunted Mansion movie still needs to be made, not this silly comedy.
Rachel F

It was ok. It had some funny moments.
Kylie B

Funny enough, but I watch it for Nathaniel Parker and the house. It could've been so much better...
Sophie B

this was really good! i watched it when i was ill and it really put a smile on my face!
Kalel J

A very forgettable experience. I've seen this, yet, like I said first-off, remember next to nothing of it. Bad filmmaking and execution here, sorry Eddie Murphy but you hit rock with this.