Our movie theaters have been plagued with poor horror films for quite some time.

Many of these movies briefly spark our interest, but after seeing them, most of us wonder why we wasted our time and money.

However, “13 Ghosts” finally ends this streak of awful scary movies.

This remake of a 1960 film tells the story of a family who lost everything, including their mother, in a tragic house fire. Struggling with finances, Arthur (Tony Shalhoub), mysteriously inherits a gorgeous glass mansion from his Uncle Cyrus.

Along with his daughter, Kathy (Shannon Elizabeth), son Bobby (Alec Roberts), and nanny (rapper Rah Digga), Arthur eagerly goes to see the house.

When they arrive, the family soon realizes that the house is not just a beautiful home but a demonic machine created by Uncle Cyrus.

Rafkin (Matthew Lillard), a psychic that detects paranormal activities, informs the family that he helped dear Uncle Cyrus trap 12 souls within the house.

The family, along with Rafkin, soon realizes that they, too, are trapped inside. To make matters worse, Cyrus is looking for his thirteenth soul in Arthur.

Their efforts to escape the demonic device, along with the special effects, make the viewing experience exciting.

Overall, the acting in this movie isn’t exactly superb. Shannon Elizabeth timidly breaks away from her comedic success, and Rah Digga makes her mediocre acting debut.

Nevertheless, the plot is actually appealing. “13 Ghosts” is pure fantasy, but it will keep your attention.

This new horror film is well worth 90 minutes of your time and the $6 out of your pocket.

*** stars (out of 4)