As with ghost stories, they are typically based in pure fiction allowing us to escape into something that will scare us to death. But, when you throw in an element of factual basis, you will then be offered "Winchester". The combination of both fact and fiction can be a chilling idea if only a more polished script was created.
The year is 1906 and inspired by true events. On an isolated stretch of land 50 miles outside of San Francisco sits the most haunted house in the world. Built by Sarah Winchester (Helen Mirren), heiress to the Winchester fortune, it is a house that knows no end. Constructed in an incessant twenty-four hour a day seven day a week mania for decades, it stands seven stories tall and contains hundreds of rooms. To the outsider it looks like a monstrous monument to a disturbed woman's madness. But Sarah is not building for her niece, Marion Marriott (Sarah Snook) or for the brilliant doctor Eric Price (Jason Clarke) whom she has summoned to the house. She is building a prison, an asylum for hundreds of vengeful ghosts, and the most terrifying among them, Ben Block (Eamon Farren), have a score to settle with the Winchesters.
Others to round out the cast are Angus Sampson as John Hansen, Finn Scicluna O'Prey as Henry Marriott, Marion's son, Emm Wiseman as Nancy, Tyler Coppin as Arthur Gates, Michael Carman as Frank, Laura Bent as Ruby Price, Eric's wife and Alice Chaston as Clara.
This was effectively directed by Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig (The Spierig Brothers) ("Undead" '03, "Daybreakers" '09, "Predestination" '14, "Jigsaw" '17). The emotions these characters exuded were certainly ones that one would expect considering the subject matter. Of course with both Mirren and Clarke in the top billing, how could these directors possibly go wrong? These characters came to life with clarity through these actors and this does take strong direction. This was also written by the Spierig Brothers (they write what they direct). It was additionally written by Tom Vaughan ("Critical Assembly" (TV movie) '02, "Unstoppable" '04, "Playing House" '10) as well. Where these filmmakers excel in the director's chair, the writing of this was suspicious at best. None of these writers have a tremendous amount of experience, and as this script played out, it became apparent to see this. It starts out with promise getting us introduced to the Price character. And even as we are being introduced to other characters, this builds the audience up into then being introduced to Sarah Winchester herself. This turns out to be an effective build up. After this the plot, although intriguing, becomes convoluted, bouncing around like a rubber ball. and ended up lacking cohesiveness and conciseness. There was a subplot that did connect with the main plot but the audience had to strain to truly connect them. Actually, by films' end, the confusing aspects did finally connect but not as thoroughly as was needed. Watch out when a film is touted as being based on true events as compared with a true story. The latter is meant to be more factual, whereas the prior is a story that takes many liberties storyline wise. The only thing factual about this was the fact that Winchester did exist as does the mansion, but otherwise the other aspects are questionable, especially the existence of the ghosts. That aspect can only be as factual as the person one is speaking with. The real star here is the house itself--it's stunning and a real tribute to the actual mansion. Even though Mirren and Clarke were onboard here, they couldn't even save this script.
Trust me, this wasn't a total wash--as it progressed toward the climax, the different aspects of the story started clicking. Unfortunately, it was simply too late into the story, because the aspects leading up to that section of film was tough to endure.
Out of 4 Stars: 2 Rated: PG-13 109mins.
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