Hysteria

The young doctor Newgate, stumbling in from the cold, introduces himself outside the gates of the isolated and ominous towering buildings of the Stonehearst Asylum, eager to observe and learn.

And receives much more than he bargained for.

The good doctor quickly discovers the central secret of Stonehearst early in the plot, and must then painfully confront a complicated question: Are the patients better off at the hands of doctors who are attempting to 'cure' through sadistic means, or would their world be a better place if ruled by one of their own compassionate (and thoroughly mad) unfortunates?

Silas Lamb, the storys' antagonist, is brought to life as only Ben Kingsly can do it. Silas is confident and driven, and has the specter of a man filled with seething anger that rages just under the surface. When he looks at you, you freeze. When he talks, you listen. When he yells, you shake.

The story all by itself would have made an exceptional book. For me, experiencing the same in a movie stunts some of that imagination that can only be provided in print. For a couple examples, I found Dr. Newgates' character annoyingly wimpy. In most scenes, he looks as if he might break down and cry at any moment. Just not quite enough machismo to qualify as the hero with adequate taste.

The sets inside the asylum rubbed me wrong, too. While historically accurate (as far as I know), they are visually over-the-top and a bit cartoonish looking. I got the feeling I was experiencing a multi-million dollar ride at Disney Land, not an actual place as it would genuinely appear and feel with gas-lighting and coal-fired heat in the middle of a brutal winter season.

All in all a good bet, great character developments and a final twist at the end that left me satisfied.

Reviewed by: Dare Devil Kid (DDK)

Rating: 3.6/5 stars

If you like period pieces, psychopathic characters, excellent actors, and plenty of atmospherics, then "Stonehearst Asylum" should be right up your alley. Between its distinctly modern intelligence and razor-sharp plotting, Director, Brad Anderson's clever contraption almost matches the heights of Gothic grandeur that keep Poe held in high esteem even today.

Anderson clearly takes delight in all the proceedings, which is one of the reasons the film feels fresh. While the film might lack some the macabre drama and dark humor of the original Edgar Allan Poe tale, it still does a fine job of conveying a creepy, engaging thriller with a brilliant Gothic atmosphere and fine performances from its terrific ensemble cast.

There's probably a brilliant, award-worthy film to be made about the inhumane way the medical practice dealt with the mentally ill in the past. This one isn't it, but it is nonetheless a solid, sturdy piece of entertainment. "Stonehearst Asylum" is an insane, Gothic thriller with a lot of chills, thrills, and fun to be had along the way.

I like the cast, setting and general idea of the movie, but I think the direction does not go far enough to build tension. The movie is thus only OK, when it had all the ingredients necessary to make it thrilling. The script gives away too much too early to then focus on a less interesting plot. If it were co keep to the original premise of the E. A. Poe short story with a more suspensfull direction it might have been better. As is, it is a sort of OK, but forgetable film.

I only watched this movie because it had the word "Asylum" in the title (Honestly - I just hoped it would have some Arkham Asylum type crazies in it). I did not have high expectations when I started watching this movie...

Was I pleasantly surprised - it was a GREAT movie and I almost wanted to watch it again. I liked the characters and their stories, the setting as well as well as the plot twist at the end.

I must however point out that the fact that the movie description/summary I read contained a key spoiler - this did not spoil the movie for me, but I would have enjoyed the film even more had I not known certain details.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fantastic movie and I was a little bit sad when it ended.

Surprisingly smart movie. My eyes were glued to the screen. I wanted to watch it again right after I saw it. It has a bit of a "Shutter Island" feel to it, however the only things similar are Ben Kingsley, a Mental institution, suspense, spoilers, a script and story that keeps you pleasantly confused, and solid acting. I was unsure whether or not I wanted to watch this movie because of middle-of-the-road reviews. I'm a serious film freak, and maybe I disagree with critics on movies with style and substance that are THIS original. I gave movies like "Cloud Atlas," "Snowpiercer," "Inception," 9 of 10 ☆s. If you love unique films with plot twists, you'll like "Stonehearst Asylum!"