Review of The Haunting of Molly Hartley

With a title and previews that implied a teen-horror focus, 2008's The Haunting of Molly Hartley seemed to be just another PG-13 horror flick that might be fun to watch with some friends on a night when there's nothing better to do. Upon viewing, however, all advertisements were proven to be misleading. It had a good premise, though it was certainly not unique; a girl's soul was sold to the devil. The writers could have taken the story in many directions, but the one they chose was one huge letdown, which easily describes the entire movie.

The opening was strong and made for a good hook; the movie began with a girl named Laurel who was in the same situation as the movie's title character. This sequence was by far the most interesting point in the movie. Why was her father so desperate--so desperate, in fact, that he was willing to kill his own daughter --to stop her from turning eighteen? What was with the headaches and that high-pitched frequency she seemed to be hearing? These are just a couple questions on the viewer's mind as the scene finishes up and we move on to the rest of the movie, which is where everything falls flat.

Molly Hartley and her father move to a new town... and nothing happens. Sure there are a few very, very spread out cheap scares that are chalked up to dreams, hallucinations, and a dog jumping at a fence, but other than that, it's like watching an episode of some boring teen drama. The new girl gains the friendship of both the outcast and the religious girl that everyone makes fun of, the attention of the popular, pretty boy, and the hate of the popular girl who wants said pretty boy for herself. There's school, partying, flirting, and of course sneaking out of the house under the guise of "studying." Does this sound like the horror movie it was advertised to be? I think not.

The plot of the movie is nonexistent for all intents and purposes until some time towards the end when Molly's crazy mother finally returns with the same intentions as Laurel's father from the beginning of the movie. Of course, she doesn't succeed, and Molly finally gets the idea that her soul isn't her own. Then, just when things are getting interesting and it looks like they're about to explain what is going on... Cut to graduation and everyone--except the parents--lives happily ever after. The end.

Do not waste your time and money on this movie; it will be 82 minutes and good money you'll never get back. With pointless, boring scenes taking up the majority of the movie, and an unsatisfying ending that leaves the viewer confused and implies the entire moral of the story is "Sell your soul to the devil, and you'll become rich, happy, and popular," there's nothing good about this movie other than the amount of attractive people acting it. Save your money; save your time. Forget about The Haunting of Molly Hartley.