This fifth installment in the tiresome horror series is so far removed from its creatively depleted source material that one wonders why the filmmakers bothered to use the "Amityville" reference in the title. In fact, there is some question as to whether the haunted house featured here is even supposed to be the same accursed residence as established in the four prior chapters. For openers, the house doesn't look remotely similar; in addition, the scenes establishing its bloody history -- involving the murder of the house's former owner, a local priest -- seem to have eschewed any continuity with the earlier films. Disassociating this cheap production from others in the franchise doesn't help much, as the story is completely incomprehensible, dusting off the usual haunted-house cliches to little effect. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide