Horror Movie Review: The Amityville Lost Tape (2025)

Written and directed by Hilton Ariel Ruiz, The Amityville Lost Tape is a brand-new low for the films that attach themselves to The Amityville Horror like blood-sucking leeches. The franchise has long been sucked dry, but it hasn’t stopped desperate filmmakers and studios trying to eek out a little more by attaching the Amityville name to their movie even though, most of the time, their film has nothing to do with the infamous horror or the real events that went on in 112 Ocean Avenue.

The Amityville Lost Tape isn’t the worst offender, after all, I’ve seen some absolute shockers, but it’s not far off it. At least, here, the house and the murders is actually spoken about!

It is about the only thing of note though, aside from the 90’s home video aesthetics which do, at least, give it a bit of visual identity.

The story surrounds a trick-or-treater who ends up with a VHS tape in their candy bucket. What could be on it? Only the most boring film ever. A tape that reveals the final moments of a couple of students who were investigating paranormal legends around the Amityville location. Utilising equipment, tarot readings, and even playing ‘Bloody Mary’ to try and find proof that spooky things exist. This is what eventually leads them to the infamous house.

Not a bad idea, right? Unfortunately, everything I described there is what happens in excruciating detail. Long, drawn out conversations between lifeless characters delivered with the kind of gusto that only comes from bad actors. The script might be awful, but the characters aren’t any better. It’s staggering how little actually happens here and you’ll find yourself constantly checking the runtime to see how much is left.

Do you want a really unnatural and long conversation between characters in a car? A tarot reading that never seems to end? An ending that makes no sense and somehow feels both rushed and drawn out? That’s The Amityville Lost Tape, another awful horror film that is attempting to leech off the once-great franchise.