America's Most Haunted is a 2013 horror-comedy film directed by Chris Randall. The movie follows the journey of the reality TV host of a paranormal show, who suspects that the team is running out of ghost hunt locations due to the on-going ratings war. The protagonist, Jonathan, played by Brad Norman feels that the show needs an injection of fresh and thrilling content. This prompts him to investigate new and potentially haunted locations across the country. Accompanied by his team members, the actress and medium, Marnie (Brittany Risner), the cameraman, Victor (Joe Anderson), and the soundman, Gabe (David Banks), they set out on the road to find their next location.
They stumble upon a supposedly haunted location in rural Oklahoma, the Barclay Hotel, where an unexplainable and gruesome murder occurred. The owner of the hotel, Sam (James Karen), greets them and agrees to let them shoot the episode in the hotel, provided they sign a waiver that absolves him of any liability.
Things start to get eerie when the team realizes that the hotel is indeed haunted by malevolent spirits. The ghostly manifestations peak when the team decides to split and conduct individual investigations of the hotel, during which each member encounters peculiar encounters with the ghosts of those who died in the hotel.
Jonathan confronts the skepticism of his team, who dismiss his claims of ghosts and hauntings, claiming that the bizarre happenings are all a part of a hoax. Despite the team's reluctance, Jonathan strives to uncover the truth.
The plot gradually builds up the suspense as the team's investigations get more intense, and the ghosts start to show clear hostility towards them. The movie also adds humor to the otherwise spine-chilling plot through the witty banter between the characters.
The film takes a turn when the team discovers the bizarre and sinister plot behind the townspeople's attempts to keep the stars of the show in the hotel. The plot twist leads to the team being trapped inside the hotel, and the ghosts taking the revengeful charge. The team is forced to fight for their lives, and everything they have ever witnessed could just be the result of a diabolical plan.
With a runtime of 85 minutes, the film's final act is an edge-of-your-seat horrorfest that effortlessly blends elements of comedy and horror, leaving the viewer guessing till the end.
In conclusion, America's Most Haunted is an entertaining horror-comedy locked inside a haunted hotel. The movie stands out with its tension-building plot and humor-filled script, thanks to the impressive performances of the actors. Overall, America's Most Haunted caters to the genre of the horror lovers, with the added flavor of humor to keep the story upbeat.
America's Most Haunted is a 2012 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 25 minutes.
It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.4.
