Thing That Go Bump in the Attic 101

Rating: 3/10 (17 July 2017)

Despite the fact all his vital signs are normal, a little boy has lapsed into a comatose state after encountering something in the attic of his parents' new home. Handsomely-made ghost story with some shudders, though director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell keep the audience on edge by mechanical means: loud noises, door slams, an earsplitting security alarm and an incessantly crying baby. The only aural effect that shows any ingenuity is a '60s recording of Tiny Tim singing "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" (which is scary all by itself). The family at the center of this thriller are cookie-cutter dull, while the plot developments are derivative and carried out listlessly. Followed by a sequel in 2013 and a prequel in 2015...and one fears there's more to come. *1/2 from ****