Ethan Hawke plays a famed true-crime writer who moves his wife (Juliet Rylance) and two kids (Michael Hall D’Addario and Clare Foley) from their Connecticut mansion to a rambling Pennsylvania ranch house thinking he can solve an old murder that took place on the property. Instead he finds himself trapped in the vortex of an ancient killing ritual. Director Scott Derrickson blends the hoary haunted house motif with the found footage formula of more recent years to mostly tepid results. But at least he goes relatively light on the gore.
Watch out for: Brief but explicit scenes of violence, some of it directed against children, grisly images, fleeting profanity, occasional rough language.
Rated: The Catholic News Service classification is L – limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R – restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
