Runtime: 100 minutes
Directed by: Brad Anderson
Starring: Peter Mullan, David Caruso, Stephen Gevedon, Josh Lucas, Paul Guilfoyle
From: Universal
If only this movie wasn't so obviously telegraphed...
Last night I felt like going to Netflix and as I haven't seen much horror since Halloween, why not a genre film from the early 21st century I've seen some strong praise for? As I started this, a notice appeared that it's leaving the service at the end of the month, so for those interested...
An asbestos removal company in Danvers, Massachusetts is tasked with removing that dangerous fiber from a long-closed mental hospital, a real life complex known as Danvers State Hospital; it was demolished in 2007. Naturally, tensions rise as spooky events happen. Although, even before works begin on the task, the workers are all bickering with each other, dialogue amongst the crew filled with bile and hatred. What a cliché it was that one member stole the girlfriend of another. To be blunt, what Massholes most of them were. Unfortunately, early on it was telegraphed (at least to me) where this was going and wouldn't you know who won the pony... I was right. It also mirrors a legendary horror film; judging by the name given to a minor character, the filmmakers did not do this copy and paste just by happenstance.
It was disappointing how the movie did not work for me as well has it has many others. There are moments which may me say this was OK overall... the setting was a great one for a horror movie-apparently, the crew did not need to add anything to the building in terms of props to make it even creepier. There are also reel to reel tapes of an old case involving a young patient at the hospital and all that audio was rather chilling. Yet, that and some decent performances was not enough to raise this about a “meh”.
No comments:
Post a Comment