The Pact 2012

Manohla Dargis, New York Times: In the end, like a lot of genre movies, this one pulls from different inspirations, and so weighs in, by turns, as overly predictable and satisfyingly recognizable (part of genre cinema's one-two punch). Read more

Noel Murray, AV Club: More horror movies set in the 21st century ought to integrate technology into their scares as well as Nicholas McCarthy's The Pact. Read more

Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter: Basic, efficient little horror item scares up a few little shocks, possibly enough for a modest commercial career. Read more

Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times: The explanations for what has been going on are weird, fantastical and sort of reasonable, within the context of the story, maintaining the film's sense of grounded directness up to the very end. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: McCarthy is clearly an economical director and what he gets on screen here - while hardly new - is still effective and occasionally creepy. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: In truth, there's nothing here we haven't seen before. But McCarthy, who also wrote the straightforward script, keeps the pace moving and the atmosphere eerie (if rarely terrifying). Read more

Kyle Smith, New York Post: A tightly controlled low-budget chiller whose occasional moments of unexpected special effects are set up beautifully by long periods of suspense. Read more

Nigel Floyd, Time Out: This haunted house movie achieves a frightening intensity with limited means, but also feels under-characterised and overstretched. Read more

Nick Schager, Village Voice: There's no pact in The Pact, which is indicative of this faux spooky tale's guiding illogicality. Read more