Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘A Haunting at Preston Castle’

Written by Scott Edwards 

There are people out there that are thrill seekers. The ins and outs of a normal day are not enough for these people and they need to spice things up a little bit by finding something to get their adrenaline pumping. I don’t see any problems with this, as long as they are not causing other people problems by how they get their fix. Outside of that, game on. Live your life the way that you see fit and make sure you enjoy it to the fullest since we only get one shot at it.

Liz has just returned home from college with nothing but a broken heart. Breaking up with her boyfriend two months ago, she is still not over being apart yet, but she is home and her good friend Ashley will not let her sulk anymore. Giving Liz news that she ran into an old flame that is still in town, she wants to get her friend out of the house and to have a good time while being home. Not knowing what the day will provide, Liz has her heart set on getting up to Preston Castle today, to get away from prying eyes and maybe let loose, just a little bit.

When Danny joins the girls at the lake, he and Liz do not have a ton to say to each other, but their playful spirit is still there as they can accomplish saying plenty by saying nothing at all. Agreeing to take the girls up to old building, he starts telling them about some of the things that have happened there. Believing that there is something happening inside of the boy’s correctional institute, he steps carefully around, while watching the girls skip though without any knowledge of what really happened here. Walking through the halls in the daylight is fun enough for the group as Liz is videotaping everything with her camera and Danny is telling some of the scary stories about the building’s shaded past. Wanting to stay in the old building after dark seems like the plan for the group, but as the sun sets, something sets its sights on the three youths that have intruded into its realm. 

A Haunting at Preston Castle follows a group of friends that are looking to reconnect and have a good time. Heading up to the old boy’s correctional institute, the girls are looking for a good scare since Danny has been around and knows much more about the old building than anyone they know. As Danny tells the history about the building, something inside of the walls seems to come alive and starts quietly stalking the group. When the sun goes down however, the inhabitant comes into full hunting mode and tries to be included in the big kid’s fun night, but Liz does not believe in ghosts, even with the strange things that are happening around her. Danny knows the stories about the old building and knows that there is danger inside of the walls, but when he is not able to convince the ladies to leave shortly after the sun goes down, he may have just sealed the group’s fate.

Not a bad haunted house tale at all. With a believable backstory that is the primary focus for the haunting, they did a fine job making sure you knew the stories as well as Danny did. I like these creepy old buildings that have hallways that go one for miles and enough rooms so you could sleep an army, so you never know the way to freedom and when you find it, you may just be too tired to make it. There are a couple ghostly scares in this movie, but not much that will make you jump out of your seat, but that is just fine as the finale will keep you on the edge of your seat when everyone is trying to find the only safe haven in the old building that nobody, not even a ghost, can find. Stay Scared.

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