'Secrets in the Walls'
(Jeri Ryan, Peyton List, Kay Panabaker, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, et al / DVD / R / (2010) 2011 / Vivendi)
Overview: Single mom Rachel Easton and her two daughters move from their cramped Detroit apartment to the suburbs when Rachel gets an irresistible deal on her dream house. But with the night comes scratching from within the walls, distant cries, and a figure of a young woman in the shifting shadows of the basement. As the haunting intensifies, Rachel and her friend must uncover the horrifying secret of what happened in the house years ago to save her family.
DVD Verdict: In truth, 'Secrets in the Walls' is a fairly generic film. Both in its approach and its so-called on-screen character development. Probably because it was done for television, this ghost story is held up (just) by the actors who made the characters people we can feel something for. In immediate principle, but it gets harder as we progress.
I especially liked young Molly (Peyton List) and the always fabulous Marianne Jean-Baptiste. The story is hardly challenging and the ghost is more pitiful than predatory. Much of the story's bite involves "suggestion" rather than overt horror. But that's OK as at no time did I wish to turn it off or read a newspaper whilst in played in the background. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.
www.vivendi.com