Waste of time

A very feeble attempt at affirmatie action

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

So much potential here. I mean, what human with eyes doesn't want to watch Kevin Costner? I'd watch him stare at a wall for an hour. Sadly, this unique premise turned predictable (with the exepction of the last 30 seconds before the predictable end) and anticlimactic. It is not scary. The "boogie man/men" of the movie were filks in a latex suits with the same ol' weird face, high-pitched scream and long dirty fingernails. Other than Kevin, the acting was lacking and it made it hard for me to care about or connect with any character. It kills me when I see a cool premise turned to "meh". Watch if you'd like but it won't blow your socks of or scare you. (Two stars for the writer, one for Kevin).

I really enjoyed the movie, it built itself up as any good movie should that's of the suspense/horror genre. The acting is very good in my opinion for what it is. If you liked Pet Cemetery which I did, this is better. Costner seems to enjoy flicks where most of the time one is left wondering how it really ended, this one produces the same. A really well written plot in my mind that is a twist above normal. Won't get into the details as that would spoil much to new viewers but reading other reviews I feel I have to clear things up as they seemed to have missed the subtle things as to the "why" STOP READING NOW IF YOU WANT TO NOT KNOW!!!1st off from reviewing the review posts it seems that most missed that the very last thing after Louisa said "dont leave me daddy" to Costner was for him to see her turn into one of them (hence what the other beast was doing in knowing that she was about to turn and just waiting like a protector). That is when he ignited the explosive keeping his promise he wouldn't leave.The silly part imo was the very end when they show the reflection of what looks like them walking from out of the explosion right before the beast appears behind they boy and then the movie ends. That is something straight out of Stephen King's mind! What else stuck out in my head is that in the beginning they had a paved road in front of the house yet later throughout the movie all vehicles were driving down some one lane dirt road, even the cop car. They could have done it just as easily sticking with the paved road in my opinion or at least brought into the movie script there was a shortcut through the woods. It always annoys me when directors cant seem to grasp continuity along the small things, it's the small things that stand out.

Won't go into too much detail. It was an OK one time watch. I wouldn't really call it a horror although it does have some chills. Aside from Kevin Costner and the little boy, acting wasn't that great either in my opinion. Ending wasn't too bad as it makes you wonder... I won't spoil it. Really liked the little boy, he has an instant likability. The 'things' that are revealed looked like something from outer space and I think this movie would fit Sci-Fi genre, however, they live in the Mound so that would not work. If you have nothing to do, nothing to watch, then go ahead, you won't be disappointed. I think I may have had high expectations hence the slight disappointment. By no means, does this mean it's a bad movie.

Ever since The Ring hit the mainstream market with its American incarnation there have been numerous imitations where something spooky happens to someone's child/children and they have to save the youngster from a killer video tape/cell phone/computer game. In Kevin Costner's case, the killer object menacing his teenage daughter is a mound of earth. That does give you some idea of just how scary the rest of the film is.Perhaps the first problem The New Daughter suffers from is that the 'daughter' in question is just so annoying. She never stops moaning and griping (as most teenagers do I guess), only, because she's come into contact with a mound of earth, she's doing it more than most. About the only good thing she does is 'take out' the most clichéd bully-girl in cinematic history.The first half of the film is just setting the audience up with various apparently-innocent events which will all have some darker significance later on. Kevin does his best to understand his daughter, doing what all horror films' central protagonists do, i.e. look on the internet and phone a local expert who just so happens to live really close and be into just the right paranormal phenomenon that you require help with.The second half things get a little more intense. Not much, just a little. As in all other horror films, the police and other supporting characters are there just to be killed.There is nothing notably wrong with The New Daughter, but there's nothing particular right about it either. We've seen it all before and done better (i.e. spookier arty cut scenes in The Ring). If you've never seen a horror film before (then where have you been?) you may just like it. But I just couldn't get Lisa Simpson's words out of my head when she encountered Kevin Costner in an episode of The Simpsons. She simply said, "Poor Mr Costner - he tries so hard."http://thewrongtreemoviereviews.blogspot.co.uk/