When you've made an absolute masterpiece like 'SESSION 9' (and not everyone necessarily agrees) it is a pretty difficult thing to follow. ('SESSION 9' happens to be one of my ALL TIME favourite Horror films) So, you can imagine that my expectations were quite high, probably higher than they should have been. But, I REALLY do like a nice Classic Period Gothic Chiller (HAMMER anyone...?) and coincidentally I frigg'n LOVE Horror films about Asylums, so I was very much looking forward to seeing this.
I will say this though: 'Thank GOD that it was absolutely NOTHING like 'THE CALL', which in my lowly and wretched opinion, was just about THE most hideous piece of steaming $hit I have ever seen. I remember painfully TRYING to watch that, thinking, 'THIS is the guy who did 'SESSION 9' and 'TRANSSIBERIA'...???
Clearly, MOST of the time the director is indeed very talented and knows what he is doing (perhaps 'THE CALL' was the result of studio meddling) In this film, the acting was excellent all around. The story kept one's interest, especially when fairly early on you begin to realize that everything is not exactly as it seems. There really is nothing at all 'Wrong' with the film in any way, but probably just for me personally, I would have liked the story to be a bit more intense and the plot points and/or twists to have a little more 'Oomph' behind them. I guess I just found the story, although good and entertaining, to be somewhat on the laid-back and light side. I think that if the director could have possibly infused a bit more of an undercurrent of intensity and palpable 'Mood' (like in 'SESSION 9') I feel that that would have added a lot more to the film.
But, with that said, the movie is very competently done and it is engaging and all of the characters are interesting. I just REALLY would have liked the 'twists' and atmosphere to pack more of a punch. I was kind of generous giving it a '7', but going by what I feel objectively the general appeal of the film would be to others, rather than just my personal, snotty preference, that seems about right.
So, I would say that if the look and premise of this film appeals to you, you should find it pretty entertaining. BUT... if you REALLY want to have your B@lls locked in a Psychological vise and smacked around for a couple of hours, make SURE that you catch 'SESSION 9' when you have a dark, quiet, and completely undistracted moment...
I will say this though: 'Thank GOD that it was absolutely NOTHING like 'THE CALL', which in my lowly and wretched opinion, was just about THE most hideous piece of steaming $hit I have ever seen. I remember painfully TRYING to watch that, thinking, 'THIS is the guy who did 'SESSION 9' and 'TRANSSIBERIA'...???
Clearly, MOST of the time the director is indeed very talented and knows what he is doing (perhaps 'THE CALL' was the result of studio meddling) In this film, the acting was excellent all around. The story kept one's interest, especially when fairly early on you begin to realize that everything is not exactly as it seems. There really is nothing at all 'Wrong' with the film in any way, but probably just for me personally, I would have liked the story to be a bit more intense and the plot points and/or twists to have a little more 'Oomph' behind them. I guess I just found the story, although good and entertaining, to be somewhat on the laid-back and light side. I think that if the director could have possibly infused a bit more of an undercurrent of intensity and palpable 'Mood' (like in 'SESSION 9') I feel that that would have added a lot more to the film.
But, with that said, the movie is very competently done and it is engaging and all of the characters are interesting. I just REALLY would have liked the 'twists' and atmosphere to pack more of a punch. I was kind of generous giving it a '7', but going by what I feel objectively the general appeal of the film would be to others, rather than just my personal, snotty preference, that seems about right.
So, I would say that if the look and premise of this film appeals to you, you should find it pretty entertaining. BUT... if you REALLY want to have your B@lls locked in a Psychological vise and smacked around for a couple of hours, make SURE that you catch 'SESSION 9' when you have a dark, quiet, and completely undistracted moment...