The Uninvited

** - This 2009 film, which is apparently based on a Japanese horror flick, tries for a “Sixth Sense” kind of vibe while also adding in some attempts at thrills, but can’t really deliver on either count. I haven’t seen the Japanese version, nor do I know anything about it (hell, it could even predate “Sixth Sense” as far as I know), but regardless of its heritage, this film doesn’t really add anything to the genre than hasn’t been floating around for quite some time now. What this movie fails to do as effectively as Shyamalan’s film is create an atmosphere and tell a competent and engaging narrative. Instead, “The Uninvited” just kind of strolls along leisurely for about 80 minutes before trying to make up for its languorous pace in the last ten by flinging all manner of ‘shocking’ twists at the viewer that aren’t so much shocking as they are dumb. Add to that the fact that there are certain parts that make no sense and what you end up with is a film that tries to be creepy and atmospheric, but ends up dull and laughable. A prime example would be the fact that a plot-important house exploded because someone left the tap running and dropped a lit candle. Yeah, fire + water = explosion, right? Right??? So, I can’t recommend this film unless you’re a horndog who really likes watching 18-year old girls running around swimsuits and underpants, or if you’re a film student who likes seeing clumsy attempts at symbolic horror imagery.