Gothika

Review by: lancelot (lancelot@tcats.com)

Well… Gothika is finally here and it will certainly indulge your appetite for suspense and horror! I know a lot of you have seen the trailers and posters all over the place since the beginning of October and were expecting this film to be in the theaters in time for the Halloween weekend. Oh well! But I have to say that my only real gripe after going to the screening for Gothika was that I wished it had been released when it was originally scheduled. However, in retrospect, it was definitely worth the wait!! Try to see this film on an IMAX DMR screen if possible.

I found this film to be both suspenseful and mysterious. Gothika showcases extremely credible performances by both Halle Berry and Robert Downey, Jr. The supporting cast of Charles S. Dutton (formerly of the hit television series Roc), Penelope Cruz (Blow and Vanilla Sky), John Carroll Lynch (Fargo), and Bernard Hill (aka King Theoden- Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers) were also essential in making this thriller very intense and thought provoking. A lot of credit should go to the staff at Warner Bros. and Columbia Pictures for backing the people at Dark Castle Entertainment to produce this eerie and alluring motion picture.

Without giving away too many details, Gothika places an accomplished criminal psychologist, Dr. Miranda Grey (Halle Berry), in a rather unique situation. She gets to experience what it’s like to be incarcerated at a psychiatric ward at a women’s penitentiary. Halle’s character, who’s impeccable reputation is based on her grasp of logic and rational, is faced with the grueling task of trying to prove her innocence to her colleagues as well as to the legal authorities that she did not commit a heinous crime against a loved one. It doesn’t help her cause that a recurring spirit constantly haunts her and that she is additionally challenged by her newfound insanities, phobias, and a severe case of memory loss. What a life!!

There are various aspects to this movie that will make a lot of you horror fans gravitate towards this film. The soundtrack as well as the sound effects hit at the right moments during the film to keep you on the edge of your seat. The special effects illuminate the screen throughout the film to ensure that the audience is both mesmerized and paralyzed. The direction of Gothika (richly executed by French renowned actor-director Mathieu Kassovitz) emphasized a cryptic element not always found in films that feed off of captivating their audiences with sheer terror and wonderment. The scenes in the prison, the hospital facility, and many other places that I won’t speak of are very realistic