Netflix describes this film as Psychological, scary , suspenseful. A little research on it made it all the more interesting.
It is supposedly a gothic film that’s loosely based on a short story by Edgar Allen Poe, an early 19th century writer, poet who was known for his tales of mystery and macabre.
Gothic genre can be described as fiction that includes horror, death and at times romance.
The film has a notable cast and director and an IMDB rating of 6.8
Cast – Kate Beckinsale, Ben Kingsley , Jim Sturgess ,Michael Caine
Director – Brad Anderson
Based in 1899,the plot revolves around a young doctor Newgate who arrives at this asylum in remote wilderness to seek residency and observe the methods followed by Dr.Lamb who heads the asylum. Right from the word go , everything appears weird and mysterious including the people, behaviours and the so called treatment methods or lack of them. Most of the patients are allowed to mingle freely without being given any. He meets a lady patient Eliza Graves and falls for her. She warns him that he must leave the place immediately and all is not as it seems.
This dark , twisted and intriguing thriller tells you further as to what was so grossly wrong about that place.
I wouldn’t describe the film is a typical horror. But it has a dark , macabre tonality. As one of the critics rightly said “More than terror , the film actually showcases the horrors of Victorian medicine”.
The film received mix reviews for the major reason that it failed to take the terror element to its full calibre given the story it was based on and the good cast and director.
The most noted film critic of all times Robert Ebert (who was the first film critic ever to get a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism )describes this film as Brad Anderson,s most flattish film but also blames it on his high expectations and admiration for Brad Anderson ’s cinema.
Would recommend to those who have a palate for dark , gothic cinema.