The Sonata

A brilliant young violinist inherits the music of her estranged father, a mysterious composer, but it leads her down the path to darkness ...

Curious case of an ordinary tale with extraordinary potential. I was looking forward to a cinematic treatment of an evil phenomenon in music, but it didn't go there in the end, although I do think the idea was covered in the score.

Instead, we get a traditional story with a puzzle in the symbolologicaltastic manner of Dan Brown - clever, but not enlightening, and nothing that couldn't have been dealt with in a 60m TV episode.

The performances are good, with an odd difference in height between the two leads. There is material for the actors to get their teeth into, but the characters remain fairly simple, despite the dark past of family estrangement (the mother's story wasn't followed up) and alcoholism. I'm also thinking of the housekeeper, who really just shows up for exposition - in a film noir or in David Lynch she would serve several purposes at once and deepen our unease, focus the drama.

The cinematography is quality. Not so sure about the direction, and certainly the editing and story line are a bit plain. The opening scene is effective, but had the feel of a first person POV sequence in an old video game. The choice of location at the old mansion was way over the top, immediately raising all sorts of irrelevant questions - it's not Dracula's Castle!

The evil phenomenon in the music is the Devil's interval, which the lush score hits repeatedly - that unresolved discord made familiar through so many genres of disturbing music, and I hoped the story would somehow turn on this. Hard to say how to do it without ending up as '60s psychedelia, but I think it would need a shift of perception, a shift in the story-telling itself, to provide an interval in reality through which we slide down to Hell. Ahem. You know what I mean. But not this time.

Overall: Good production, but lack of depth in the story.

Very reminiscent of old Hammer horror films, with superb locations, quality performances from virtually all of the cast, superb music scoring and a really well orchestrated atmosphere of dread and suspense reminiscent of The Devil Rides Out and it was proceeding so well until the end and the last 10 minutes of the movie just fizzled and burned out like a damp squib.

It had all the ingredients too, including a well paced and original story but what could have been a really great horror-thriller was spoiled by the rushed ending and brief CGI - such a shame but it is still well above average and beats most of the recent horror drivel that has been coming out of the film studios recently so a fair 6.5/10 from me!

To me The Sonata deserves a higher rating than it actually got on here. Andrew Desmond did a good job with this movie. There is a certain dark athmosphere created, mostly by the excellent soundtrack. If you want to make a good horror movie (even thought it's not categorized as such, but it should) you need good sound effects and music, that's just essential and in The Sonata it's just perfect. The acting wasn't bad either. I would have liked a bigger part for Rutger Hauer but the rest of the cast did certainly well. The Sonata isn't a very visual horror movie even though there are some good frightening scenes and jump scares, it's more an athmospheric horror movie that has it from the sound and story. Not bad at all if you like that stuff.

"The Sonata" excels at creating a haunting and immersive atmosphere. The film's gothic setting, complete with a decaying mansion and eerie landscapes, effectively establishes a sense of dread and unease. The cinematography beautifully captures the dark and mysterious ambiance, drawing viewers into its chilling world.

The storyline, revolving around a young violinist who inherits a mansion and discovers her father's sinister compositions, is compelling. The integration of classical music with supernatural elements provides a fresh and intriguing twist on the horror genre. The mysterious sonata and its hidden messages keep the audience engaged and curious about the unfolding mystery.

Freya Tingley, who plays the protagonist, delivers a convincing and emotive performance. Her portrayal of the tormented musician navigating through grief, curiosity, and terror is compelling. Rutger Hauer's role, although limited, adds a significant presence and gravitas to the film, enhancing its overall impact.

The film suffers from uneven pacing, with moments that drag and others that feel rushed. The build-up to key plot revelations can be slow, testing the audience's patience. Conversely, some critical developments occur too abruptly, leaving viewers wishing for a more gradual and fleshed-out progression.

Despite its intriguing premise, some of the plot twists in "The Sonata" are predictable and lack the intended shock value. Horror enthusiasts might find certain elements cliché, as the film occasionally relies on familiar tropes and predictable scares, diminishing the overall tension.

While the lead characters receive adequate attention, several supporting characters are underdeveloped. The motivations and backstories of the characters are not fully explored, leaving the narrative lacking in depth that could have been added. This underdevelopment makes it harder for the audience to form a strong connection with or investment in these characters.

This movie will not stimulate your brain nor will it scare you. However, it was very atmospheric and moved at a nice pace. It started off quite good then for some reason, took a nose dive about half way through. The protagonist was also somewhat unlikeable and we never really get to know her in order to like her better. I found myself not really caring what happens to any of the characters. It started off well, but needed more character development and more of a story. The ending was overly simplistic. But I can't say it was boring.