Due to my recent stretch of busyness, Hide and Seek is the first movie I've seen in the theater in a while (at least by my standards) and my first for 2005, which is hopefully not a harbinger for the year.
Why did I see this film? Well, Fox has a track record that if they show a commercial for a program enough times, I am bound to watch it. Additionally, as I've always said, there is nothing scarier then a kid in a horror movie (though there was some loud debate from the crowd upon leaving the theater whether this film was a horror movie or a suspense/thriller, I'd go with the former) and Dakota Fanning's performance might have been the scariest ever. Admittedly, it wasn't as much her acting as the cinematography, makeup, and pacing, but in the pantheon including The Ring, The Sixth Sense, and The Exorcist, her performance is near the top. Additionally, I have a soft spot for Famke Janssen and Elisabeth Shue - I mean, any woman who would reject the advances of a future Duke professor...
However, the tipping point was the discovery that Fox was shipping the final reel of the film after the rest of the film (Coming Soon via Movie Blog). It turns out that if only Fox had lost that reel that would have had a pretty good movie on their hands.
Midway through the film I was planning on writing about the terrific camera work and shot composition and the meaning of the glassy eyes and mirrors, but then once the suspense reached a crescendo, the ill conceived ending actually ruined all the story points that proceeded it. I have been debating if the ending can at all be salvaged, but I have yet to hear an argument that changes my mind. Seriously, I would not suggest seeing this film since knowing a film is terrible doesn't mean it can't be fun, but discovering it's disappointing can only be infuriating. If you do see this film, LEAVE THE THEATER BEFORE DENIRO ENTERS HIS OFFICE NEAR THE END. You'll be glad you did.
Posted by shs4 at January 28, 2005 10:36 PM | TrackBack