Broke up today! Huzzah!

A review:

Earlier in the day I went to the cinema to view the film “Gothika”. I admit my hopes weren’t high for this film. The supernatural subject matter and the setting of a mental asylum seemed a little far out for my tastes. However I dispelled these and tried to enjoy it. And I admit that I did, for the first half an hour. I thought they showed the lifestyle of Halle Berry’s character very well in the time they gave it. But it takes more than ten minutes to establish a character, and this is where it fell down a notch. When the story kicked in and the director began exploring the themes of the supernatural and metaphysical entities, part of the shock value of the scenes lay in the empathy we feel for the character, yet because we have not had sufficient time to get to know this character, we feel nothing for her situation, or her predicament. Because we feel nothing for this character in what are very well done scenes, we never in the 2 hours of the story ever feel empathy for her. Simply put, the whole relationship we have with the character is destroyed, because the director was too keen to get into the story proper.
That said, it is a fantastic cast. Halle Berry gives one of the best performances I’ve seen from her. Robert Downey Jr. is very well placed alongside her, because of the stark contrasts in their characters and the relationship that the two have in a doctor/patient environment. Penelope Cruz was superb in her role, not only because she had the notable physical characteristics to match her character, but also how she works in the scenes in which she appears. She features much less than would have been expected, but she manages to deliver a great performance that sticks in your mind as you watch the scenes without her.
Story wise the idea of a vengeful spirit possessing others in order to wreak havoc on those responsible for her death are good, but horrendously underplayed for 20 minutes of the film, and its only with about an hour of film left that the twist start pouring in, and the film actually becomes immensely enjoyable. I won’t give away any spoilers, but the final few minutes are immensely enjoyable. But that isn’t a good thing. Although it’s enjoyable in a sense, it leads away totally from the supernatural themes that have worked so hard to be created and made believable in our minds, so when the ending happens, it loses a lot of its credibility.
The rating is bizarre. Most of the subject matter and the scares would have easily made a 12, but the excess showing of blood (and there's a lot of it) needlessly put it up. If you need to show that much blood to attempt to scare/shock your audience you have no faith in the psychological scares your providing, and for the audience, it leaves the horror aspect of the film hideously in the lurch. This film is not scary. Not in the slightest.
On the whole the film is very much a low rate porn film with good actors, (very ironic, If you see the film you’ll know why.) with almost every other scene being just another way for the director to get Halle Berry into a state of undress. Let me list them off.

1) Halle Berry has to take a shower with at least 30 other women. Water + no clothes.
2) Every shot of Ms berry has the back of her gown slightly open to reveal that SHES NOT WEARING A BRA! Ah, if only that knot were looser, just watching the ties slip apart, allowing the gown to cascade over her body, revealing………ahem...
3) Ms Berry and a swimming pool…twice
4) Ms berry and cold weather with rain.
5) Ms berry and water
Well, you should get the idea by now.

Overall, a good idea that seemed hastily cobbled together with some cheap shot of a wet Halle Berry come together to make a film that’s watchable, but not to be bought, unless the title makes you salivate with your pathetic friends who think that demons and ghosts exist, and that you feel goblins touching your head, giving you signs that the world is full of devils. Let me tell you how to get rid of those ”goblins.” Head and Shoulders.

Well, thank you.
DickyBod

Playing: FFX-2
Listening to: Stompp "Kill Chill"
Watching: Pirates of the Carribean
Annoyed with: .Hack//Infection (WHERE IS IT!!!)
Confused about: The Heineken new can advert...
Mood: Tired, with an FFVIII guide next to me, helping the FF illiterate.