Mary

Writing Quality: The story concept is original--a haunted ship. The scares meet the typical conventions of the genre and the feel of tension is expected, but some moments turn unexpected, such as the theme of suicide. The characters aren't explored much, however. The audience connection to their dilemma would have been stronger with a deeper exploration of each character and their relationships. Instead, the characters feel paper thin, creating an emotional distance from the audience.

Scare Factor: Lots of scare jumps, some startling.

Content (sex, language, & violence): No sex, the teen wears a bikini. A few instances of the F-word.

Acting: Good.

Values: Protecting a family from a demon

Bonus: The bartender (Jennifer Esposito) from I Still Know What You Did Last Summer plays the detective, Stefanie Scott (Insidious 3), Emily Mortimer (Scream 3). But the best bonus is Gary Oldman--he's beautiful to look at it, and seeing him in a psychological thriller was new and refreshing.