Régression

If you can trust an actor to make a good horror, lately that one is Ethan Hawke. From Sinister, to The Purge, or Daybreakers, he knows how to pick them and make the most of them.

A lot more psychological than the rest, Regression has a beautiful story, with a great dark atmosphere, suspense, scares, all the ingredients to a good little horror. I was intrigued from start to end, waiting to see more, trying to wrap my brain around it, and expecting a finish that would make the most sense.

And boy I got it all! It really is a great production, an example of what a horror should look like, goes hand in hand with Deliver Us From Evil, both movies are smart and filled with tension.

Cheers!

This film tells the story of a policeman who investigates a woman's claim that she is the victim of abuse from a Satanic cult, which includes her father and a fellow policeman colleague.

"Regression" has a very intriguing plot! I have to say that I did not see the twists coming, even though I had several possibilities in mind. Ethan Hawke is convincing as a dedicated policeman who wants to get to the bottom of the abuse, in order to help the poor woman who naturally evokes much sympathy from viewers. The story is intense because the mystery is well built, and the suspense is well kept. I enjoyed watching "Regression" a lot.

I don't think this one will take any prizes for acting, or even for its fairly modest special effects, but it has a reasonably intelligent script and enough tension and intrigue to keep the audience awake. It takes its inspiration from a wave of Satanic child abuse accusations and actual court cases that swept the world in the 1980s and 90s, but fizzled out with very little hard evidence emerging and very few convictions. Many blamed 'false memories' implanted by well-meaning counselors and psychologists and even the Press, unintentionally encouraging people in the creation of fantasies. 'Regression' tries to show how, in a manner reminiscent of the Salem witch trials, human suggestibility creates 'evidence' out of thin air, and delusional states become contagious. In doing this it is of course skating on thin ice, since similar ideas have often been used in attempts to discredit the claims of those reporting genuine 'historical' cases of assault or abuse.

The resolution presented in 'Regression' is perhaps one of the least satisfying aspects of the film, and I was surprised that no reference was made to the fundamentalist Christian element for which parts of America are so famous.

I think this one entertains, and after a slowish start builds up to quite a fast and dramatic pace in the second half. I would definitely recommend seeing it, but I don't think you would lose very much by waiting for it to get to rental or television.

For a long time, Alejandro Amenabar has been one of my favorite writer- directors for the twisted suspense thrillers. He was quite prolific at the turn of the century -- "Thesis" (1996), "Open Your Eyes" (1997) and his English-language debut "The Others" (2001). His biographical drama "The Sea Inside" won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2004.

Since then though, his output had been sparse. That was why when I heard that he will be releasing a new film this year entitled "Regression," I made sure I went to watch it.

Seventeen-year old Angela Gray accuses her father of sexually abusing her. Detective Bruce Kenner is assigned to her case. The father meekly admits to the crime, but does not actually recall doing it. Kenner seeks the help of Psychology professor Kenneth Raines to elicit his repressed memories, as well as those of the other members of the Gray family, via hypnotic regression. What is revealed from these sessions are diabolical confessions of such disturbing nature that Kenner himself could not get them out of his own mind.

Ethan Hawke is such a good actor, really. From his feature debut in "Dead Poet's Society," then "Before Sunrise" (and its series), "Gattaca," "Sinister" to his Oscar-nominated performances in "Training Day" and "Boyhood," this guy can really portray the most ordinary characters and wind up making them very memorable. His intense take of the obsessed Bruce Kenner was riveting and infectious. His visions become our visions, his beliefs our beliefs. He had a flawless interactive rapport with Amenabar's camera, registering and conveying the anger, paranoia, confusion, and fear of his character so well on screen.

Emma Watson returns on her trajectory to becoming a serious movie actress after being sidelined by unfortunate roles in "This is the End" and "Noah." The talent and the promise are there, but the connection with her role as the troubled Angela was not as convincing as that of Hawke's. Her best performances were still those for Hermione Granger. Her young adult performances in films like "Perks of Being a Wallflower" and "The Bling Ring" had a certain unnatural stiffness in them, as it was again here as well.

Credible supporting performances were given by David Thewlis as the authoritative Prof. Raines and David Dencik as Angela's repentant father John. Going a bit over the top was Dale Dickey and her exaggeratedly demented performance as Angela's grandmother Rose. The strangest casting decision was that of Lothaire Bluteau as the priest Reverend Murray. He exuded such a creepy vibe, which of course may be the director's intention.

While "Regression" was still not on the same level of excellence as "Open Your Eyes" or "The Others," Alejandro Amenabar returned to form with this comeback project of sorts. The script, though weak and flawed in certain aspects (like motive, for one important example), was still logical and grounded despite dealing with controversial religious and psychological matters. The storytelling engages you despite the dark unpleasant topics and relentlessly morbid atmosphere. I am looking forward to the next Amenabar opus. I hope it does not take so many years anymore. 7/10

Mystery/thrillers are always the movies that I enjoy the most. I just like that genre, where you relax and try to figure out what's going on. Sometimes they are bad and sometimes they are good like this one. I didn't see the end coming and that's what I like most about it. Even though I would have preferred another ending, it doesn't matter because it came as a surprise to me and that I enjoy. Especially when it's with good actors like Ethan Hawke and Emma Watson. All the other actors were quality as well. I truly enjoyed the dark passages of Regression. Good job from Alejandro Amenábar. I will certainly watch more of his movies. I can get that some people don't like the movie but to give it a rating under five is just ridiculous. That's my point of view. Certainly when you see the amount of garbage movies that get more points then Regression.