Abandoned Review: Disappointing Horror Movie Needed To Pick A Lane

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Setting aside its haunted house narrative, fans of the horror genre will recognize Abandoned positioning itself within two storytelling trends. In the first, a movie raises the question of whether the protagonist's experiences are real or all in their head, and leaves it hanging for most of the runtime, pulling suspense from the viewer's uncertainty. In the second, horror elements are in service of a larger metaphor, exploring some issue that the movie is «reallyabout.» These might seem complimentary, but they actually encourage viewers to think about what they're seeing in very different ways — whether something makes sense, for example, is a narrative question in one and a thematic question in the other. Telling a story at its nexus is a difficult task, and the films that succeed, such as Jennifer Kent's horror film The Babadook, are worthy of special praise. More likely is what happens to Abandoned, which finds moments of success in both strands but noticeably chafes whenever it tries to combine them, laying solid groundwork only to leave audiences grimacing by its conclusion.

The directorial debut of Spencer Squire, Abandoned begins as young couple Sara (Emma Roberts) and Alex (John Gallagher, Jr.) move with their infant son Liam to a remote farmhouse in the countryside. The property has gone unsold for many years, thanks to a horrific tragedy that once happened within its walls, but the change of scenery is too necessary to dissuade Sara, who has been struggling with postpartum depression. As she tries everything to feel connected to her baby, she also starts to learn more about what went on in her new home, and is soon confronted by occurrences she can't explain. Objects mysteriously move or go missing; scratching