Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Okay, what this movie is not - The Exorcist, The Amityville Horror, Carrie or The Shining. Does it have elements of those classic films? In spades. I'm guessing the shortcoming here was the budget. It could've benefited from more special effects, but it is what it is - a ghost story.I feel bad for the movie because there's nothing original in it. You've seen everything in it before. As a matter of fact, some of the scenes were so carbon-copy The Shining that Kubrick must be rolling in his grave. I gave the film a 7 because, seeing it, I didn't feel it was a waste of time. It was a relatively solid possession/ghost story movie, and it definitely reminded me of the fare being exported from South Korea; still, it wasn't a total time waster. Would I watch it again? Not really. For whatever it was, it was decently made. I'm not complaining.

The first thing I'd have to say about The Haunting of Radcliffe House (Altar) is that it's too long, the lesser elements of this TV film failed to hold my attention, I got a bit bored with it at times. The positives, who doesn't love a ghost story, it's been done a hundred times before, but it's still watchable, it still has a few jumps, and the story itself is an interesting one. Antonia Clarke, playing daughter Penny, was easily the best performer throughout, she was great.The bad bits, it's been done before, you could spend ages picking out the film references, there are too many to list, The Skeleton Key is heavily referenced. The acting is generally a little amateur, I'm a fan of Olivia Williams, but she isn't great here, maybe it's the clunky direction, but none of them seem well serviced, Antonia Clarke somehow manages to add something. I think they tried to be over creative, some of the 'arty' scenes were way off.A good plod. 6/10

i read the reviews of this film before i watched it, many were critical, but i was pleasantly surprised to find myself scared, hands over face in bits, a traditional ghost story, where my imagination did most of the work.many have said it takes parts from other films, doesn't every film,i mean has anybody seen a totally original film, really? the film lulls you in, in the true old fashion way, gives you a family, in a creepy house, has things happen, nobody believes them until its too late. i liked the slow move of the film,the weird altar , hidden rooms, stuck doors, the ghosts, no need for gore , or screaming people, it felt realistic, as to how you might react to spooky situations. if you like hammer house, you'll probably like this.

Altar is a decent horror to watch and unlike the ones in the past. The idea of being buried alive or bats flying around doesn't play on people's nerves anymore. Since we as human beings have become more intelligent now, and times have changed it takes a lot more to scare us now. However the basic goal of any horror is to frighten the audience and make the story suspenseful for them. Well the movie Altar does just that and it succeeds where most movies fail to entertain the audience. It gave me a little scare here and a little scare there, but also kept me interested. What I like the most is that the element of fear was rising slowly in the movie, until it escalated to the point of no return. There are only two things I would change if I could: the alchemy in the story. I mean come on, we have seen that in a lot of other films in the past like fantasy films. I have to say the diagrams are interesting though and I like how witchcraft is mentioned and potions.