The Haunting of Margam Castle (2020)

Professors Annie and Daniel do parapsychology experiments at NYU.  The Dean says their budget will be slashed unless they can get some exciting research for their investors.  Wait, NYU has investors?  

The Dean decides to send them to Wales to do research in Margam Castle, which is supposed to have tons of paranormal activity.  You’d think Annie would be excited to have an all expense paid trip overseas to investigate her field of study, but you’d be wrong.  Annie says it’s a shitty assignment.  Annie is never happy.

The group consists of Daniel, Annie and two students who - based on their interactions at the beginning of the film - don’t have much of an understanding about their work.  The trip to the manor involves a stop at a pub, a lengthy discussion of Welsh Rarebit, multiple warnings to stay out of the castle, and an older man who unexpectedly shows up with a psychic.

They arrive after dark and set up their equipment. They are the only ones surprised when the most haunted location turns out to be haunted.  

So many questions. Did they eat while in the pub? After ordering, they were warned not to go to the castle. The next scene shows them walking out and receiving a second warning.  Why do they think Lidia will go back to town to get help? She doesn’t even know they are in trouble and would just think she was locked out. Does anyone really stab a microwave dinner ten times to vent it? Why didn’t anyone catch that Annie’s apartment has UK outlets, even though she hasn’t left for the UK yet? Why is there a five minute explanation of what Welsh Rarebit is? Sure it’s delicious but you’d expect they’d show them eating based on the time they spent on it and since the characters don’t know what it is, maybe viewers won’t either. Why did they need to add the pee sounds to Lidia’s bathroom scene? And when she discovered the words “get out” on the mirror, did anyone else immediately think, the bathroom or the manor?

While the location is cool and the movie looks good, the acting leaves much to be desired. Everyone’s tone was flat, no matter what happened.  Annie is unsympathetic. I’m unsure if it was the actors choice how to play it, or they told her to be angry about everything.  

Ridiculous dialogue that gives parapsychologists a bad name:

Hugh: Oh my god.

Daniel:  What?

Hugh: Necronomicon

Daniel:  Is that supposed to mean something to us? 

Annie:  You need to look the part of a parapsychologist when we go over there. Maybe…. Get a haircut.

The best part of the movie is the location.

It’s crazy anyone could be rich enough to live here.

Yes, it’s sensational but if something is going on there,
potentially you could document it for research..

Wait, why are there UK outlets in Annie’s NY apartment?

Annie’s typical response to anything someone says.

Annie’s apartment is really dark in the daytime. And what is  
in the spotlight on the table? I thought it was her dinner but she’s
got a microwave meal.