X
- 2003
- R
- HBO Max
- 1 h 38 m
- 2003
- R
- HBO Max
- 1 h 38 m
Summary This supernatural thriller is the chilling tale of a brilliant psychiatrist (Berry) who experiences an unwelcome awakening when she is accused of committing a heinous murder she cannot remember. (Warner Bros.)
Directed By: Mathieu Kassovitz
Written By: Sebastian Gutierrez
- 2003
- R
- HBO Max
- 1 h 38 m
- 2003
- R
- HBO Max
- 1 h 38 m
Gothika
38
6.6
Where to Watch
Summary This supernatural thriller is the chilling tale of a brilliant psychiatrist (Berry) who experiences an unwelcome awakening when she is accused of committing a heinous murder she cannot remember. (Warner Bros.)
Directed By: Mathieu Kassovitz
Written By: Sebastian Gutierrez
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 36 Critic Reviews
38
8% Positive
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
64% Mixed
23 Reviews
23 Reviews
28% Negative
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 36 Critic Reviews
38
8% Positive
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
64% Mixed
23 Reviews
23 Reviews
28% Negative
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
In trash as in art there is no accounting for taste, and reader, I cherished this movie in all of its lurid glory.
There must be something about the thriller/horror genre that attracts writers with exactly the same dysfunctional tendencies: They're all great at the foreplay but keep on messing up the climax.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 90 User Ratings
6.6
42% Positive
38 Ratings
38 Ratings
49% Mixed
44 Ratings
44 Ratings
9% Negative
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 90 User Ratings
6.6
42% Positive
38 Ratings
38 Ratings
49% Mixed
44 Ratings
44 Ratings
9% Negative
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
If you are able to identify with Halle Berry's character and truly feel everything she feels, then this film plays on your emotions with an exhilaratingly force. If not, the film will seem scattershot and its mistakes will be all the more obvious. It all depends on perception.
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This a super intense and heavy film, with good actors and good playing.
Of course there are some issues that are questionable, but overall the film is very good.
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A plot that insults, betrays, and cheats every member of the audience. Stupidity to a degree can sometimes be forgiven. Stupidity to this degree can not and should not.
Dopey, violent horror thriller.
Quickly abandoning the psychological for the supernatural, the movie collapses its premise into one painfully derivative pitch.
An unsurprising, undistinguished piece of post-summer, pre-holiday detritus.
Stupefyingly stupid thriller.
I know that this film was devastated by critics, and I can even understand some reasons why it was pulverised. But I can't help liking it anyway, and feeling that it was quite pleasant to see. The story revolves around Miranda Gray, a psychiatrist who works in a prison ward managed by her husband, who is also a psychiatrist by profession. One night, when she returns home, she has to turn away because the rain has damaged the road, and when she crosses a bridge she meets a young woman in the middle of the road and almost runs over her. Upon awakening, Miranda realizes that she is, herself, trapped in the psychiatric ward, accused of killing her husband.
I confess that I do not see this film as a horror film. This is, perhaps, the reason why I liked it: I was not expecting to be afraid, just a good and intriguing mystery story with some supernatural touches. And that is what the film gives us. Of course, it has strong scenes, of course it has scares, but it is not enough to make it a horror film, and if the advertising tried to sell it as such, then it was wrong, and it was deceiving people. In fact, the supernatural is important in the film, but even more important is the way Miranda tries to find out what happened and who killed her husband. The film works very well most of the time, but after a certain moment, nearing the end, we feel the material wear out, and we realize that director Kassovitz and screenwriter Gutierrez no longer know how to end the story for them created. The result is obvious: a passive ending, which will draw inspiration from other films, such as "Sixth Sense".
The cast is decent enough for the film it is. Halle Berry was going through an excellent phase of her career: she had just reaped the fruits of hits like "X-Men" and "Die Another Day". In fact, if we want to be honest, her work on this film is competent, and she even manages to give quality to the film. The problem is the material she received from the screenwriter, and particularly in the final part of the film, where things really fall apart. Robert Downey Jr is also an excellent actor, but he has little to do here. Penélope Cruz is convincing and credible in her role, but she too has little to add. Charles Dutton does a discreet but competent job and John Lynch is a predictable villain.
At a technical level, it is a fairly average film. Cinematography is considerably within what could be expected and takes advantage of the most common visual and special effects. Even without anything surprising or innovative, it fulfills its role well. The sets and costumes do not bring us anything special, and CGI ensures the largest share of the scares. The soundtrack is forgettable.
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I'm not that into Horror flicks, but I think that this one is pretty decent. The script was a little bit weak and the talented cast was wasted on a so-so cliche plot. But, it was entertaining. This is a rare occasion when I disagree with the critics, but yes, I've enjoyed Gothika.
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The first half of "Gothika" is great. John Ottmin's soundtrack combined with Matthew Libatique's cinematography and Kassovitz's direction helped create very creepy atmospheric tension. Although some may find her constant screaming excessive, Halle Berry's acting was great throughout the whole movie. There were a lot of scenes that tried to jump scare you, but none of them worked. There is no gore (with the exception of several cuts on arms, and blood writing on walls), so the movie relies on creepiness alone, and most of that is gone by the third act. There is a contrived plot twist near the end, and another very obvious (yet still ridiculous) one. There are loads of plot holes in "Gothika", and a rushed and unsatisfying conclusion. However, before the third act, I nevertheless had good time.
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This is a horrible horror film, as it is not scary, dull and boring. This is extremely bad, as it fails to deliver suspense and does not make you feel interested in this film. Overall, this is a bad movie.
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Sadly this movies pacing, acting and chills are extremely slow. There is little to watch and the twist ending would be much more impact full had something happened over the course of the film. It is bogged down by trying much to hard to facilitate a need for overzealous spook factor. In the end it is drab, boring and not even remotely scary.
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Production Company
Columbia Pictures,
Warner Bros.,
Dark Castle Entertainment
Release Date Nov 21, 2003
Duration 1 h 38 m
Rating R
Tagline Because someone is dead doesn't mean they're gone.
Awards
Teen Choice Awards
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Image Awards (NAACP)
• 2 Nominations
BET Awards
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
