Gothika

I'm a big fan of horror movies, but deliberately tend to avoid the ones starring A-list actors and actresses. One of the most essential yet unwritten rules of the genre states: the bigger the names involved in the production, the weaker the shocks and the tamer the blood & gore effects. If this statement were an exact science then "Gothika" would be one movie to avoid at all costs, with its all-star ensemble cast including Halle Berry, Robert Downey Jr., Penelope Cruz, Charles S. Dutton, Bernard Hill and John Caroll Lynch. But this really isn't a bad movie at all, in fact, and the acclaimed names seemingly didn't form any restriction for director Mathieu Kassovitz (creator of "The Crimson Rivers" and the brilliant crime thriller "La Haine"). The good news is that "Gothika" is a surprisingly grim and darkly atmospheric ghost story, with a handful of genuinely eerie set pieces and uncomfortable moments. Perhaps it's the influence of the French director, but it honestly feels like the movie aimed for chills & shock rather than to come across as politically correct. The bad news, however, is that the script is weak and incredibly predictable. The first twenty minutes still manage to be somewhat mysterious, but as soon as the ghost-story aspects begin to unfold, the denouement already becomes obvious to slightly experienced horror fanatics. Miranda Grey is a professional psychiatrist working in the same all-girls asylum as her husband; Dr. Douglas Grey. She strongly believes there's a rational explanation for everyone and doesn't really listens to what her patients, Chloë in particular, have to say. Whilst driving home one rainy night, Miranda becomes involved in a nasty car accident because there's a girl in the middle of the road. Next thing she knows, Miranda wakes up as a patient in her own asylum and she's accused of murdering her husband. Shortly after, she has ghostly visions again of the girl she saw on the road, and it seems as if she's trying to tell Miranda something very important, so she better learns to really listen. Even in spite of the sadly transparent and derivative plot, "Gothika" manages to remain compelling and even somewhat engaging. Halle Berry is a marvelous actress (as well as one of the most ravishing women on the planet) and a joy to behold as the 'dame in distress'. She receives excellent support from the always-cool Robert Downey Jr. and I never saw Penelope Cruz deliver a better performance. If I were her, I would accept more crazy-lady roles. This certainly isn't the kind of stuff nightmares are made of, but it's a worthwhile little thriller nonetheless.

I have read many reviews that seemed to think Gothika was a waste of time. Let me just say, it is not a waste of time. in fact, the film was very enjoyable. it was shot well and the special effects were sophisticated and well handled. The cast was full of surprises such as Bernard Hill(great actor but a strange role). The story was interesting and there was genuine tension throughout.

Berry's character is a doctor in a mental institute. she wakes up to find herself an inmate in the very place she works. Her colleague and friend played by robert downy jnr tells her that she has committed a horrific crime and nobody knows why. so the plot begins to wind its way towards a shadowy truth. However, without giving anything away, the key scenes where important truths are revealed to the audience are simply too clumsy. information is just handed over visually on a plate and leaves little to the imagination. some of the tension built up in

the first half of the film is lost. and the truth isn't quite as gripping and terrifying as we would have hoped(although thats not to

say it is pleasant).

Robert Zemeckis was one of the producers and i think it shows..there is some great camera work and some really interesting ideas but gothika doesn't have some of the subtle touches that What Lies Beneath had, but its easy to see some of the parallels between the two films.

Even though halle berry wears the same look of shocked disbelief throughout the film, she plays it with conviction. and a supporting role from penelope cruz certainly doesn't take anything away from berry.

all in all, gothika provides a good story, an average screen play and enough innovative ideas to keep its audience. but i would have been disappointed if i had paid to watch it at the cinema.

In Mathieu Kassovitz's Gothika, Penélope Cruz and Halle Berry share a shower, but DON'T soap up each other's jubblies; that glaring goof aside, the film is a worthwhile supernatural thriller—smartly written, with slick direction, solid acting, and some effective shocks—one that should pass the time fairly painlessly for fans of mainstream horror.

Halle Berry plays penitentiary psychiatrist Miranda Grey who winds up as an inmate herself after she inexplicably chops up her hubby with an axe. With no memory of the murder, Miranda begins to suspect that there is a supernatural reason for her brutal act.

Although the story evolves in a predictable Hollywood manner, the well developed atmosphere, stylish visuals, and some great supporting performances (the aforementioned Cruz, Robert Downey Jr. and Bernard Hill) all go to make this an enjoyable, if not exceptional, creepy murder mystery.

6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for IMDb.

'Gothika' may be looked at as an exercise in style. The plot is about a psychologist in a women's prison who wakes up one day to find herself on the other side of the bars, accused of having murdered her husband. She needs to prove her innocence, but the film is not what you expect. There will be not too much logic in what follows, and the borders between reality and halucination seem to be crossed by the director and script writer, not only by the characters.

What saves the film is the excellent acting of Halle Berry, Penelope, Cruz, Robert Downey Jr., and all the rest of the cast, the haunting setting, and the way the atmosphere is being build. The institution looks like some gothic building from outside, with blue lighted corridors inside creating an appropriate setting for the mood of the characters. Rain seems to poor almost permanently, kind of reflecting the fluid state of mind of the characters.

This film will not be easy to forget for me. Despite its ridiculous script and the conventional way the plot is being solved, the quality of the cinema is above average. Halle Berry is fantastic, and may have bought back her acting in a James Bond movie. Uneven but still memorable. 7/10 on my personal scale.

This film is about a female psychiatrist getting locked up in a mental institution for suspected murder. After that, she has a series on vision that lead to grave consequences.

I think "Gothika" is a great thriller. The first half is scary by using great sound effects, beautiful shots and suspenseful plot. This is quite unlike many horror movies that relies on blood or shock to scare. The second half turns into a crime mystery, and I think the suspense is still well sustained. I did not see the plot twists coming, and hence I was surprised by the ending. Halle Barry's acting is great, she is convincing as a psychiatrist and even more convincing as a "crazy" person. Her facial expressions in the scene where she got possessed is great.

I enjoyed watching "Gothika" very much.