“The Haunting of Molly Hartley”
Freestyle Releasing
At Quality 16 and Showcase
- Courtesy of Freestyle
1.5 out of 5 Stars
These kinds of films are so damn predictable, it gets boring to complain about the same thing over and over: They come out, make a quick buck and are never heard from again. But let’s go through the motions here.
A cheap, predictable horror movie — complete with CW stars and a PG-13 rating — was probably only released to rook some teens out of their allowance. It’s not “Prom Night” or “Darkness Falls,” but it very well could be. It’s “The Haunting of Molly Hartley,” and with the exception of its fantastic, absurdist ending, it’s another hunk of Halloween junk.
In a nutshell: Molly (Haley Bennett, “College”) is about to turn 18, and she’s afraid that an evil force might take over her body. This being a shoddy film, the story is padded with all the “spooky” amenities: soundtrack shocks, things jumping into frame, whispers, shadows and teenage promiscuity — all taking place against an awkwardly Christian-themed backdrop. In other words, this movie sucks.
After 80 minutes of masturbatory meandering, the resolution comes with such brazen disrespect to the rest of the film that it’s absolutely awesome. Imagine a movie about a girl who fights her inner demons, only to do something you’d never expect. No, that’s not a spoiler. It’s just … great. The ending that is.