BABY'S FIRST HORROR? DISNEY'S 'HAUNTED MANSION' CONJURES UP A STORY ABOUT GRIEF

LaKeith Stanfield is disarmingly good as a grief-stricken astrophysicist barely scraping by in New Orleans, and increasingly jaded about the spirit-crazed tourists and mythologies of the city he calls home.

Unfortunately, though, this character and performance is housed in “ Haunted Mansion,” Disney’s second attempt in 20 years to make a fun movie out of one of its beloved theme park rides. This version, directed by Justin Simien (“Dear White People”) and written by Katie Dippold (“The Heat” and that iconic Babadook tweet ) is worlds better than the Eddie Murphy disaster, but it’s not really fun, spooky or engaging enough to make much of an impression beyond the moment.

It’s too bad because the movie has some great writing, ideas and production design, as well as a cast including Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Tiffany Haddish and Jamie Lee Curtis, who seem game to go big in that way that actors are only really allowed to in movies aimed at a younger audience. Wilson, as a priest who recruits Stanfield to come to the haunted house to investigate, spins every line into gold. It’s perfect comedic relief, which Haddish, oddly, does not get enough of. Playing a psychic, she’s a bit more subdued than usual, maybe playing against her character’s elaborate turbans (costumer designer Jeffrey Kurland and his team went all out, in the best way, for this stylish lot).