The movie follows the Benson family, consisting of parents Adam and Karen, their teenage daughter Jessica, and young son Billy, as they move into their new home in Amityville. It becomes evident early on that the house is haunted, as strange occurrences begin happening almost immediately. Doors slam shut on their own, frightening figures appear in photographs, and a mysterious black substance oozes from the ceiling.
As the activity in the house intensifies, the family becomes increasingly frightened and desperate to leave. Paranormal investigators are brought in to help, but they too are subjected to terrifying encounters with the house's malevolent spirits.
The Amityville Haunting is a typical found-footage horror film, shot from the perspective of various cameras that are set up throughout the house. The acting is relatively amateurish, but the shaky cinematography and eerie sound effects create a suitably creepy atmosphere. While the story is largely fictionalized, it does draw upon the infamous DeFeo murders that occurred in the same house in 1974, lending a bit of historical weight to the tale.