This movie says it's based on the Foyster's experience at the Borley Rectory. It could also be said that "Soylent Green" is based on Ray Kroc's experience flipping burgers. That's about as far as "A Haunting at the Rectory" gets to telling the story about a haunting at the Borley Rectory. Having spoken to Marianne Foyster's son Vince, and having read Harry Price's book about the Rectory, and the Foysters, you come to realize "A Haunting at the Rectory" is a generic story glued on to the Rectory's history, and at least two real people involved in it.

Had they at least provided something scary, I could give this movie a higher rating. But their theft of what really is a scary story, and turning it into a dull, melodramatic ride through a pastor's wife's discontent, a sleazy handyman's ruse, and a kind pastor's growing jealousy, oh- and some wandering "ghosts" thrown in because, you know, "Rectory" and all that, makes me realize they stole the Rectory's reputation just to sell the movie. This script could have happened anywhere, but I guess calling it "A Haunting at the 3rd Street Episcopal Church and Community Center," though just as applicable, would have been hard to fit on the DVD box spine.

Too bad. I was hoping to experience the Borley Rectory's haunting. Instead, I got a barely recognizable one.

I feel embarrassed in particular for the lead actress. She is the worst out of the 3 so called actors. Real amateur dramatics caught on film. Is this why we pay so much for streaming services for them to insult us with this crap.

Okay so going into A Haunting at the Rectory otherwise known as American Poltergeist 5 - The Borely Haunting I expected a low budget ghost flick and for it to be absolutely terrible but I was sorely mistaken.

I mean okay it's pretty terrible so I wasn't wrong about that but this simply isn't a ghost flick and quite frankly the supernatural element is needlessly tacked on and shouldn't even exist.

Therefore this shouldn't be considered a horror at all, more of a drama as that is essentially what A Haunting at the Rectory is.

It tells the story of a Reverend and his wife who take on a new handyman. But the handyman is not what he seems, and the wife begins to see ghostly apparitions.

Again the supernatural element is minimal and simply shouldn't have been added. I assume it was simply to raise interest in the film deeming it only likely to succeed in the horror market.

Instead of a horror we have a reasonably paced but not very interesting British drama that ends on a passable twist but you'll likely be bored long before it arrives there.

Want a horror? Avoid. Want a dull drama, this is one for you.

The Good:

Cast are above par

Twist is passable

The Bad:

Just not very interesting

Very deceptive marketing