What could have been a derivative version of THE EXORCIST turns into something special in the hands of Hollywood director Robert Wise. AUDREY ROSE is a story dealing with reincarnation, a topic that doesn't get tackled too often in Hollywood. As such it feels fairly fresh and interesting, especially in the first half of the movie. The picture is blessed with a strong cast, none stronger than the great Anthony Hopkins whose character treads a fine line between creepiness and being sympathetic. He plays a grieving father convinced that a couple's daughter is the reincarnation of his own deceased child. I found that the film falls apart a little in the second half, turning into an EXORCIST clone at times, and failing to really do much with the premise; the ending is emotional but also a little hollow. But it's still beautifully made and far more intelligent than you'd expect given the genre.
Review of Audrey Rose
