X
- 2012
- R
- Millennium Entertainment
- 1 h 54 m
- 2012
- R
- Millennium Entertainment
- 1 h 54 m
Summary Veteran paranormal researchers Dr. Margaret Matheson and Tom Buckley debunk fraudulent claims of ghost whispering, faith healing and other psychic phenomena by detecting what Matheson calls “red lights,” the subtle tricks behind every staged supernatural occurrence. But when the legendary blind psychic Simon Silver comes out of retiremen...
Directed By: Rodrigo Cortés
Written By: Rodrigo Cortés
- 2012
- R
- Millennium Entertainment
- 1 h 54 m
- 2012
- R
- Millennium Entertainment
- 1 h 54 m
Red Lights
36
5.6
Where to Watch
Summary Veteran paranormal researchers Dr. Margaret Matheson and Tom Buckley debunk fraudulent claims of ghost whispering, faith healing and other psychic phenomena by detecting what Matheson calls “red lights,” the subtle tricks behind every staged supernatural occurrence. But when the legendary blind psychic Simon Silver comes out of retiremen...
Directed By: Rodrigo Cortés
Written By: Rodrigo Cortés
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 22 Critic Reviews
36
14% Positive
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
45% Mixed
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
41% Negative
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 22 Critic Reviews
36
14% Positive
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
45% Mixed
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
41% Negative
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
The truth is, while Red Lights isn't terrifically scary, it is thrilling in other ways, constantly playful and often tongue-in-cheek as it works through the hokey conventions of the genre.
It works best when it doesn't take itself seriously, and some of the ways in which ESP is faked are briefly engaging, like short con games or magic tricks revealed. But, finally, the film doesn't offer the sense of release, or of surprise, that it seems to take for granted.
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 79 User Ratings
5.6
30% Positive
24 Ratings
24 Ratings
52% Mixed
41 Ratings
41 Ratings
18% Negative
14 Ratings
14 Ratings
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 79 User Ratings
5.6
30% Positive
24 Ratings
24 Ratings
52% Mixed
41 Ratings
41 Ratings
18% Negative
14 Ratings
14 Ratings
Professor Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) and he assistant Tom Buckley (Cillian Murphy) have a very unique and interesting job. They travel the country trying to prove of disprove psychics, magician, paranormal researchers, and people in similar fields. They would like nothing more than to find the real thing, but so far, Matheson has only found one person she hasn't been able to prove is a fraud, and that's Simon Silver (Robert De Niro). She is terrified of the man, but he assistant doesn't know any better and wants to make a name for himself by going after the legendary medium. I am in utter disbelief that a film with a cast like this was direct-to-film, but all that aside, it's as good a story as you'll find on the big screen. What can you say about De Niro and Weaver that hasn't been said a million times before, but this film is almost like a passing of the torch, as Murphy got the majority of the air time. How'd he do, Cillian Murphy absolutely stole the show right out from under them, in what is easily his best performance to date. To be honest, this is one of those films I watched for the cast, I wasn't super interested in the story and at times it was painfully slow, but Red Lights has some downright creepy moments, and the ending will absolutely blow your mind. If you're the patient type who enjoys a great performance, this films for you, if not, you might want to skip this one, as it takes a while to get going, and gives you some things you really have to think about afterwards.
Report
Red Lights is an obscure thriller that attracts a lot of great talents, a genre that was popularised by 'Sixth Sense' a number of years back. Slow burn plot, talky, with a twist in the end. It;s done quite well here. Too bad nobody cares anymore. It is actually meticulously researched by the Writer-Director, and while the last third went out like any other supernatural thriller out there, it does raise a lot of issues about paranormal activities, whether they are fake or not. De Niro again plays the usual 'I'm sooooo creepy' routine that he is famous for. It's the nuanced performances of the ever reliable Cillian Murphy and Sigourney Weaver that elevates this material.
Report
Before Silver hijacks the plot, Rodrigo Cortés's smart, talky screenplay and tense direction hold our attention, as much for the unpredictability of the story as the ease with which Sigourney Weaver and Cillian Murphy slide into their roles.
Much as I want to believe in Cortés, who is clearly talented and ambitious, there is just too much in Red Lights that encourages agnosticism.
That all the good things--and there are several--Red Lights has going for it are ultimately in service of an ending that might even make M. Night Shyamalan cringe represents one of the year's biggest missed opportunities.
Red Lights goes astray on so many levels that I gave up trying to figure it out before the end of the second reel.
Never do you sense an overriding intelligence; Cortés once found laughs and shocks within the coffin-confined Buried, but here's he's got too much room to wander into realms of the ridiculous.
[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]
Report
You see this too many times, a film starting off so well, only to unravel and fall apart so carelessly and predictably at the climax that its difficult to appreciate the film at all, simply because it worsens as the minutes tick on.
The cast was there, Sigourney Weaver, Cillian Murphy and Robert De Niro, but what unfolded was simply muddled and ended up going for cheap thrills over psychological warfare.
We see Dr. Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) quite successfully debunk fraudulent mediums or psychics, doing so through how exactly person in question manages to fool the victim. Why exactly was this not developed upon? This was gripping, interesting, and was a different sort of thrill.
Murphy plays her assistant Tom Buckley, who begins to obsess over investigating Simon Silver (De Niro).
De Niro does have a great screen presence in the film, but it is simply wasted.
What follows is a tale of cheap scare tactics and pointless situations (bathroom fight) that really add up to nothing. It was a real shame to see the film going downhill after quite a mysterious and striking beginning.
If the 'twist' ending wasn't worked out a long time before it happened, I doubt you were watching the same film I was, it was quite clear which direction the plot was taking, only problem being suspenseful films using the same path did it better, like The Illusionist.
With messy cinematography that was more confusing than it was exciting, it all equals out to a disappointing film that had a thought-provoking premise, but just didn't deliver a unique stance or fluid story.
Report
The only issue with this movie is the tone of the ending which is in total contrast to the tone of the movie. The director would have us believe that he is speaking from the point of rationalism and science only to reveal to us that his true standing is of belief and miracles in the final scene. Psychologically speaking that barrel does not hold water well. It would have been better if he held the same tone throughout the whole time.
Report
What the hell happened this had an excellent cast, some decent performances and a pretty good plot that for once had a sceptic view of physics which not enough media does but it's all undone by an ending so bad I still can't believe there wasn't a rewrite. I can't even recommend for a so bad it's good quality it doesn't have that and it should be taught in film schools as the perfect example of how a bad plot twist ruins a movie
Report
A sad silly film. It really has no point. Nothing is at stake, it doesn't matter who is right or who is wrong. Is it the end of the world if we discover scientific evidence for paranormal activity? They make a really big deal out of the possibility of a bad scientific report being made, like it could change the world, but it's all rather silly, and has little to no suspense. There is some talent involved in the film, it is visually visceral, the actors have some inspired moments, in a way it forces you to feel emotions with its visuals and sounds, rather than having any real content to feel any thing about. You get two twists at the end which is nice, because one of the twists is very predictable. Over all a disappointment, because it had so much talent, but in the end lacked a good story, or script, or any real meaning.
Report
Production Company
Millennium Films,
Cindy Cowan Entertainment,
First Generation Films,
Nostromo Pictures,
Antena 3 Films,
Televisió de Catalunya (TV3),
Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales (ICAA),
Generalitat de Catalunya - Institut Català de les Indústries Culturals (ICIC),
La Sexta,
Canal+ España,
Attitude Pinículas y Films A.I.E.
Release Date Jul 13, 2012
Duration 1 h 54 m
Rating R
Tagline How much do you want to believe?
Awards
Gaudí Awards
• 2 Nominations
