I have never seen the original version of this movie so I cannot offer any comparisons between the two. My only prior knowledge of this film was the preview I saw in the theater and on television, so I offer my untainted opinion. I didn’t find it scary, but rather freakishly disturbing. There were some images and scenes that momentarily halted my breathing while forcing me into a zombie-like stare at the screen. An element which helped further its horror was the inclusion of strange behavior from children—an ever popular trend in horror flicks. Also, since I had not viewed the original I couldn’t predict the ending which was different than I had expected.

I do not think someone is going to need this review to determine whether the content is family friendly, since the premise is based on an evil house that kills its inhabitants. As viewers will discover in the film, the spirit of an evil man who lived there long ago actually pushes for the murders. As stated above, there are several disturbing scenes not suitable for families along with much violence. This film kills its chance for a Dove approval, so keep the kids away from this one.