Gothika (2003) User Reviews

Don't believe the hype, this is worth a look

[mstomaso · 7/10 · 12 February 2005]

Stars operating at the level of Halle Berry and Penelope Cruz are bound to disappoint critics along the way, especially when the critics are just waiting for some sign of weakness upon which to feed. While there is nothing wrong with any of the acting in this film - these are not the kinds of roles Oscar winners and nominees are expected to indulge in.

What's more, Berry and Cruz signed onto a film made by a production team which has typecast itself with some fairly disappointing ghost stories / horror films involving big-names in the recent past.

Finally, this is one of those cases where the trailer was so good that the film could not possibly follow it.

So what?

If you approach this film without expectations, and with an open mind, you will be entertained. It's a tight, disturbing psychological/supernatural thriller which, though a little predictable at times, nevertheless offers some frightening imagery and a few good solid scares. That said, this is not a film for people who have trouble paying attention or for people who need straightforward answers. If you don't really pay attention to what is going on in this film, you could easily dismiss it as a more adult version of Sixth Sense or just another dumb ghost story. This film deserves more credit than that.

Personally, I don't think it's a ghost story at all- but that is a question best left open.

I have seen a number of films by this team - House on Haunted Hill, 13 Ghosts and Ghost Ship. Of these, I found 13 Ghosts and the House on Haunted Hill to be entertaining, but not very intelligent. Ghost Ship was tremendously disappointing - even Gabriel Byrne could not save that film. Gothika is easily the best of the lot, and also the darkest. The film is shot in dark blue, black and gray tones, and the use of lighting is nothing short of artistic. Despite the cliché title, the occasional plot clichés, and all the negative publicity generated by critics, I found this film to be surprisingly entertaining, intelligent, and disturbing.

Most of the 'plot holes' cited by some reviewers here on IMDb are more likely gaps in the attention spans of the viewers themselves or intentional ambiguities designed by the production team. This, unlike any of this team's previous work, does not provide unambiguous explanations.

Cruz and Berry are, respectively, patient and psychiatrist in a high security prison for the criminally insane. The Gothic environment of this facility is not meant to be realistic, but surreal, and the effect works. From the first time you see the place, you question its own reality. The film constantly manipulates mood through cinematographic techniques like this.

Shortly after the film opens, Berry finds herself experiencing what some of her allegedly delusional patients talk to her about. Robert Downey's portrayal of her friend and, now, therapist, is uneven, but satisfactory.

To describe the rest of the plot would require spoilers, so I won't bother. Suffice to say that even the occasional predictability of this film did not detract from my enjoyment of it.

The film uses just enough ambiguity to permit the audience to wonder whether what they are seeing is really happening or whether it is a product of our protagonist's subconscious mind. And then, in the end, the film makes you question whether it matters.

Feel the scare, don't look for logic

[dromasca · 7/10 · 12 April 2004]

'Gothika' may be looked at as an exercise in style. The plot is about a psychologist in a women's prison who wakes up one day to find herself on the other side of the bars, accused of having murdered her husband. She needs to prove her innocence, but the film is not what you expect. There will be not too much logic in what follows, and the borders between reality and halucination seem to be crossed by the director and script writer, not only by the characters.

What saves the film is the excellent acting of Halle Berry, Penelope, Cruz, Robert Downey Jr., and all the rest of the cast, the haunting setting, and the way the atmosphere is being build. The institution looks like some gothic building from outside, with blue lighted corridors inside creating an appropriate setting for the mood of the characters. Rain seems to poor almost permanently, kind of reflecting the fluid state of mind of the characters.

This film will not be easy to forget for me. Despite its ridiculous script and the conventional way the plot is being solved, the quality of the cinema is above average. Halle Berry is fantastic, and may have bought back her acting in a James Bond movie. Uneven but still memorable. 7/10 on my personal scale.

Pschologically creepy, but a little flawed

[mjw2305 · 6/10 · 8 January 2007]

Halle Berry plays brilliant criminal psychologist, Dr. Miranda Grey; an expert in what is rational, logical and sane. After she encounters a mysterious young girl, she finds herself confined to the institute in which she once worked; along side the patients she once treated. She has to rationalise what is real in her own mind, before she loses it forever.

The setting and atmosphere that is created in Gothika is excellent, and the movie is definitely creepy enough to jangle your nerves. Halle Berry, Penelope Cruz and Robert Downey Jnr all fit into their roles nicely; the problem is plain and simple. The storyline and script are too weak to achieve what this movie sets out to do, and because of some lame dialogue and a flawed plot the movie only manages to be decent; when it really should have been great.

6/10 It's still worth watching.

Misses the mark, but not by much.

[mostlygreek · 29 October 2004]

I have read many reviews that seemed to think Gothika was a waste of time. Let me just say, it is not a waste of time. in fact, the film was very enjoyable. it was shot well and the special effects were sophisticated and well handled. The cast was full of surprises such as Bernard Hill(great actor but a strange role). The story was interesting and there was genuine tension throughout.

Berry's character is a doctor in a mental institute. she wakes up to find herself an inmate in the very place she works. Her colleague and friend played by robert downy jnr tells her that she has committed a horrific crime and nobody knows why. so the plot begins to wind its way towards a shadowy truth. However, without giving anything away, the key scenes where important truths are revealed to the audience are simply too clumsy. information is just handed over visually on a plate and leaves little to the imagination. some of the tension built up in

the first half of the film is lost. and the truth isn't quite as gripping and terrifying as we would have hoped(although thats not to

say it is pleasant).

Robert Zemeckis was one of the producers and i think it shows..there is some great camera work and some really interesting ideas but gothika doesn't have some of the subtle touches that What Lies Beneath had, but its easy to see some of the parallels between the two films.

Even though halle berry wears the same look of shocked disbelief throughout the film, she plays it with conviction. and a supporting role from penelope cruz certainly doesn't take anything away from berry.

all in all, gothika provides a good story, an average screen play and enough innovative ideas to keep its audience. but i would have been disappointed if i had paid to watch it at the cinema.

Catwoman your way out of the straitjacket, Halle

[Coventry · 6/10 · 5 March 2009]

I'm a big fan of horror movies, but deliberately tend to avoid the ones starring A-list actors and actresses. One of the most essential yet unwritten rules of the genre states: the bigger the names involved in the production, the weaker the shocks and the tamer the blood & gore effects. If this statement were an exact science then "Gothika" would be one movie to avoid at all costs, with its all-star ensemble cast including Halle Berry, Robert Downey Jr., Penelope Cruz, Charles S. Dutton, Bernard Hill and John Caroll Lynch. But this really isn't a bad movie at all, in fact, and the acclaimed names seemingly didn't form any restriction for director Mathieu Kassovitz (creator of "The Crimson Rivers" and the brilliant crime thriller "La Haine"). The good news is that "Gothika" is a surprisingly grim and darkly atmospheric ghost story, with a handful of genuinely eerie set pieces and uncomfortable moments. Perhaps it's the influence of the French director, but it honestly feels like the movie aimed for chills & shock rather than to come across as politically correct. The bad news, however, is that the script is weak and incredibly predictable. The first twenty minutes still manage to be somewhat mysterious, but as soon as the ghost-story aspects begin to unfold, the denouement already becomes obvious to slightly experienced horror fanatics. Miranda Grey is a professional psychiatrist working in the same all-girls asylum as her husband; Dr. Douglas Grey. She strongly believes there's a rational explanation for everyone and doesn't really listens to what her patients, Chloë in particular, have to say. Whilst driving home one rainy night, Miranda becomes involved in a nasty car accident because there's a girl in the middle of the road. Next thing she knows, Miranda wakes up as a patient in her own asylum and she's accused of murdering her husband. Shortly after, she has ghostly visions again of the girl she saw on the road, and it seems as if she's trying to tell Miranda something very important, so she better learns to really listen. Even in spite of the sadly transparent and derivative plot, "Gothika" manages to remain compelling and even somewhat engaging. Halle Berry is a marvelous actress (as well as one of the most ravishing women on the planet) and a joy to behold as the 'dame in distress'. She receives excellent support from the always-cool Robert Downey Jr. and I never saw Penelope Cruz deliver a better performance. If I were her, I would accept more crazy-lady roles. This certainly isn't the kind of stuff nightmares are made of, but it's a worthwhile little thriller nonetheless.

Excellent Initial Two-Thirds of the Story, But Horrible Conclusion

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 10 December 2004]

Dr. Miranda Grey (Halle Berry) is a psychiatrist who works in a penitentiary, in the mental institution sector. She is married with Dr. Douglas Grey (Charles S. Dutton), the chief of department where Dr. Pete Graham (Robert Downey Jr.) also works. Chloe Sava (Penélope Cruz), a patient of Dr. Miranda formerly abused by her stepfather, claims that she is frequently raped by the devil in her cell. After leaving the asylum in a stormy night, Dr. Miranda has a car accident, and when she wakes up, she is an inmate of the institution, being accused of an horrible crime and having no memory of the incident.

This ghost-story has an excellent atmosphere and photography, and the initial two-thirds of the story is really intriguing. I really expected an excellent movie, in the level of "The Sixth Sense", "The Others" or "El Espinazo del Diablo". Unfortunately, the writer got lost with his plot and presented a horrible, almost ridiculous, conclusion of the story. I am a great fan of horror movies and I liked "Gothika", even with such a silly end, but it could have been better and better. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Na Companhia do Medo" ("In the Company of the Fear")

Subtle as a neon pink handkerchief in a biker bar

[dfranzen70 · 3/10 · 12 August 2004]

Gothika is a new-fashioned ghost story in which a conscientious, well-liked criminal psychologist (Halle Berry) wakes up in a cell in the very insane asylum in which she works - and she's accused of a heinous crime. Whodunit?

The movie begins creepily enough, with some requisite background on Miranda (Berry) on how she interacts with her husband/boss (Charles S. Dutton) of the institute, her coworker Pete (Robert Downey, Jr.), and her prize patient Chloe (Penelope Cruz, gettin' all ugly and stuff), followed by her waking up in the aforementioned glass you-will-not-escape cell.

Why is she there? Why does she have no memory of getting there? Why is Pete so irritated with her? You'll care about these questions, too, but rest easy: Your caring will soon dissipate.

Chilling stories, especially ghost stories, are best told with no small amount of subtlety. Hit the audience over the head with effects, and you might as well be showing them a slasher film. And that's what this one is, at times, replete with blood and guts and action, action, action. If you stop to think about what Miranda's doing, you'll realize how little of it makes any real sense.

Gothika is overwrought; its twists are broadcast so blatantly that you'll feel like the electroshock therapy some of the patients at the institute receive. Bad guys? We got bad guys. You can usually scope out the bad guy at the beginning of a cheesy movie, because he's the one who looks perfectly ok. Even if you don't guess the bad guy's identity early on, I'm betting you won't be terribly surprised when you do find out who it is.

On paper, this must have seemed like a great career choice for Berry, but like Catwoman, this is not a shining moment for her. And don't fool yourself - this is a Halle Berry event all the way. Those other guys in the movie? Interchangeable. I'll admit that Downey, Jr. turns in a - shall we say - more mature performance than he did during his heyday, but perhaps that's a result of all those drugs and drying-out periods.

Gothika's poorly written but competently acted and directed - considering the script. It's as if Miranda merely moves from setpiece to setpiece without really solving or accomplishing anything until VOILA!!! she figgers it all out. As you will, too.

Misses a golden opportunity, but still manages to be solid, spooky fun.

[BA_Harrison · 7/10 · 31 March 2012]

In Mathieu Kassovitz's Gothika, Penélope Cruz and Halle Berry share a shower, but DON'T soap up each other's jubblies; that glaring goof aside, the film is a worthwhile supernatural thriller—smartly written, with slick direction, solid acting, and some effective shocks—one that should pass the time fairly painlessly for fans of mainstream horror.

Halle Berry plays penitentiary psychiatrist Miranda Grey who winds up as an inmate herself after she inexplicably chops up her hubby with an axe. With no memory of the murder, Miranda begins to suspect that there is a supernatural reason for her brutal act.

Although the story evolves in a predictable Hollywood manner, the well developed atmosphere, stylish visuals, and some great supporting performances (the aforementioned Cruz, Robert Downey Jr. and Bernard Hill) all go to make this an enjoyable, if not exceptional, creepy murder mystery.

6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for IMDb.

Message with the ghost

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 13 July 2014]

Gothika is an all star mystery chiller with a dash of horror. Halle Berry plays Dr Miranda Grey a psychiatrist working in a female asylum with her husband. As a psychiatrist she believes in a rational expression which is sometimes at odds with her patients experience such as Penelope Cruz who claims she has been at the asylum.

Driving home one night during torrential rain Miranda gets involved in an accident and the sees a girl standing in the middle of the road. She then wakes up in the same asylum but not as a doctor but as an inmate and she is accused of killing her husband brutally.

Confused, delirious and in a state of shock she continues to have visions of the girl. Her former colleagues such as Robert Downey Jr try to do what they can knowing her husband was also an esteemed colleague of theirs, Dr Grey realises that the visions might be trying to her something and everything in the hospital is not what it seems.

The film tries to tread a line between keeping serious and falling off the rails and maybe does not always succeed. I doubt a psychiatrist is likely to end up as a patient in her own hospital but Berry tries to be believable but the script can be preposterous and dialogue is not always good.

Yet the film is engaging enough with enough thrills and chills to keep it going although you kind of guess what the dark secrets could be.

Thrilling and suspenseful

[Gordon-11 · 19 September 2008]

This film is about a female psychiatrist getting locked up in a mental institution for suspected murder. After that, she has a series on vision that lead to grave consequences.

I think "Gothika" is a great thriller. The first half is scary by using great sound effects, beautiful shots and suspenseful plot. This is quite unlike many horror movies that relies on blood or shock to scare. The second half turns into a crime mystery, and I think the suspense is still well sustained. I did not see the plot twists coming, and hence I was surprised by the ending. Halle Barry's acting is great, she is convincing as a psychiatrist and even more convincing as a "crazy" person. Her facial expressions in the scene where she got possessed is great.

I enjoyed watching "Gothika" very much.

Riveting Psychological Thriller!

[bsmith5552 · 7/10 · 3 May 2004]

"Gothika" proves that Halle Berry is more than just another pretty face. Her talent is equal to her drop dead good looks. Berry plays psychiatrist Dr. Miranda Grey who is content in her work at an asylum and happily married to her boss Dr. Douglas Grey (Charles S. Dutton). A colleague Dr. Pete Graham (Robert Downey Jr.) also has eyes for the comely doctor.

One night Miranda's world is turned upside down. As she is driving home from work in a rainstorm, she is suddenly confronted by a young girl (Kathleen Mackey) standing in the middle of the road. Miranda's car goes off the road but she manages to return to the young girl. The next thing we see is Miranda waking up in the asylum as a patient and not knowing why she is there. She is told that she is suspected of murdering her husband but can remember nothing.

Dazed and confused and unsure of who to trust, she begins to try and fill in the missing blanks of her memory. Has she really gone mad or did she actually commit the crime? She begins to have flashback visions, especially after she learns the identity of the girl on the road that night. Is there an element of the supernatural at work here or is Mranda actually going mad? Director Mathieu Kassovitz keeps us guessing right up to the surprise ending.

Berry gives a memorable performance as the confused doctor. She alternates between rational and irrational behavior in convincing fashion. Penelope Cruz plays a patient that Miranda had been treating and whom she meets "on the inside". Downey does the best he can with his part as the doctor who might know more about Miranda's situation than he lets on. John Carroll Lynch plays Sheriff Ryan who had been close personal friends with the Greys, and who turns on Miranda when she is charged with the murder of her husband. Others in the cast include Dorian Harewood as Miranda's lawyer and Bernard Hill as the chief psychiatrist.

There are elements of the supernatural mixed into the plot to be sure, but it is the lovely and talented Halle Berry that makes this film memorable.

Great cast.

[Dodge-Zombie · 6/10 · 20 June 2022]

Now there's some problems with this movie. Pretty big problems in fact. Mostly around certain characters conclusions. That being said it's an entertaining movie.

Yeah I think in some situations it does take itself too seriously and I'm actually surprised it's never had a sequel. At least I don't think it has. It's also quite predictable in parts.

Ignore some bad CGI, enjoy it for what it is. The story is good. It just could of been done better.

Better as a 30-minute Tales from the Crypt than feature length film

[a_chinn · 4/10 · 1 July 2017]

Weak psychological thriller would have been better as a 30-minute "Tales from the Crypt" or "Twilight Zone" episode. Halle Berry plays a psychiatrist who wakes up to find herself a patient in the asylum she works. She has no idea how she how she got there or why and then spends the rest of the movie trying to figure that out why she's there, trying to convince others she's not crazy, and trying to get out. It's not a terribly clever set-up, but the Berry is a a solid lead for the film and is supported by an able cast that includes Penélope Cruz, and Robert Downey Jr. before his career blew up with "Iron Man." The weak script is also bolstered by slick directions, photography, and production design. Overall, this is a dull mystery without a lot of thrills, suspense, or interesting of characters, but it's well crafted from a technical standpoint and does feature a handsome cast, which is enough to make it watchable.

Inconsistent

[adanaceau · 4/10 · 15 May 2004]

Halle Berry has wonderful screen presence but her character (like the plot) is replete with inconsistencies. How she could be a brilliant psychiatrist and yet be utterly clueless as to the character of those around her does not make sense. But Miranda's character is not the only inconsistency. The ghost girl begins by securing her revenge. Why does the ghost utter the line "I love you" when exacting her revenge? Once the revenge has been exacted, why does she continue to torment Miranda? In fact, given the ghost's abilities and presence, why torment Miranda at all? The suspense is lost in the confusion. Movies that create an alternative reality are the most difficult to write and produce. This one fails.

It's a creepy movie, with lots of killings and a twisted ending

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 31 March 2004]

It's a horror film from production company called "Dark Castle" , and full of thrills , chills , shocks , twists and turns . In this one plays Halle Berry who is a beautiful but a bit nut head doctor . In addition, it stars the Spanish Penelope Cruz and Bernard Hill, the famous captain of the well known "Titanic¨ picture . Dr. Miranda Grey : Berry Is An Expert At Knowing What Is Rational, What Is Logical, What Is Sane... Until The Day She Woke Up On The Other Side. Because someone is dead doesn't mean they're gone .

It's a good spooky film which begins with Berry as a physician happily married, who is later locked in a jail framed to kill his husband . Robert Downey Jr. Is the doctor who is keen on her . Who 's the killer ? , Will be Robert? , Will be Penelope? Will be Berry herself , who in a attack of jealousy murdered her husband? . The title of the film, Gothika is an unofficial term used to describe a form of purgatorial state of mind, a peculiar situation similar to craziness .The film has many shocks and the ending has an outstanding surprise.

The film was lavishly produced by Dark Castle , production specialized on terror genre and in charge of Joel Silver , Robert Zemeckis and Gilbert Adler ; both of them have produced successful terror movies dealing with eerie tales about horror , grisly killings and lots of blood and gore such as ¨House of haunted hill¨, ¨Return to house of haunted hill¨ , ¨13 ghosts¨ , ¨Ghost ship¨, ¨House of wax¨ , Whiteout¨ , ¨Splice¨ , ¨The reaping¨ , ¨Orphan¨ , among others . Although it was not the first Dark Castle Entertainment terror movie to receceive awful reviews and wasn't the last. It was the first, however, and still is, the highest grossing film to be released from the production company with a one hundred forty-one million dollar gross . The motion picture was professionally directed by Matthew Kassovitz , though it resulted to be critically panned by critics . Rating : 6/10 , acceptable and passable. The film will appeal to Halle Berry and Penelope Cruz fans.

Great Cast, Good Mystery

[koltonbrett · 8/10 · 16 January 2022]

I love a good mystery. Gothika is both a psychological thriller and a supernatural horror. I loved playing detective and piecing together the clues to solve this mystery. It wasn't a very difficult mystery or plot to figure out, but it's still a suspenseful and entertaining movie. Making up for the story's predictability, is the casting of Halle Berry and Robert Downey Jr. Both are fantastic and likable performers. The jump scares are not always effective but they keep you on your toes.

You can't trust someone who thinks you're crazy.

[lastliberal · 7/10 · 24 July 2007]

I just will not give less that my lowest recommendation to a film with Halle Berry. Even Catwoman was worth watching just to see her, and I will support that with a good review.

In this Gothic triller, Berry gives a performance that is almost equal to Monster's Ball. She is flawless.

She is supported by an equally great cast: Penelope Cruz (Volver), Robert Downey Jr. (A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints), and Charles Dutton (Alien³), in particular.

This is an edge of your seat horror/thriller and it deserves some time. So check it out.

Halle Gets Wigged Out

[robertconnor · 1/10 · 26 May 2005]

One rainy night, Halle Berry crashes her Saab and wakes up in a bad movie with Robert Downey Jr. and a bad wig. Lights flicker menacingly and steely grey corridors echo with the sound of Ms. Berry crying 'help, I've fallen down another plot hole'...

Whilst French actor-director Kassovitz has assembled an interesting support cast (Dutton, Carroll Lynch, Hill, Harewood), as with his previous thriller Les Rivières Pourpres (The Crimson Rivers) he is completely hamstrung by a ludicrous and implausible story. Often an interesting actor, here Downey Jr. tries for ambiguous but ends up just plain creepy (contrast with Jeff Bridges in Jagged Edge) although Cruz fares better, playing against type for once to some effect.

And Ms. Berry? Let's just say that for all her wild bewilderment and wide-eyed fear, she is ultimately defeated by that ridiculous fake hair-do.

Yikes!

Crappika

[Chrysanthepop · 6 February 2008]

Didn't expect a talented guy like Kassovitz to make just another pretentious Hollywood piece of crap. That's what 'Gothika' is. It pretends to be one of those psychological horror/thrillers that makes you think (yeah right!). It's got all those silly twists and wannabe 'jump' moments. The cast is wasted. Halle Berry hams in several sequences but otherwise she's okay. She screams a lot. Penelope Cruz does well with her lack-of-substance role and Robert Downey Jr. is wasted. The ending (which brings the level towards further crap) suggests another horrible sequel. Special effects are alright and the background score just adds to the pretense. However the one thing I liked is the cinematography. The long quick shots were quite impressive. Given the concept, Kassovitz could have made a very engaging film. However, it's a pity that he made it for the that section of Hollywood fans who like pretentious crap.

"Ghost Girl Interrupted"

[Kamurai25 · 7/10 · 21 January 2021]

Really good watch, could watch again, and can recommend.

Halle Berry carries this great Pyschological Thriller of a doctor turned mental patient. This definitely has the production value to support its needs.

They do a great job of calling into question whether or not she's crazy at any given time while still presenting the "other worldly" aspects consistently.

I even think it holds up (currently) 18 years later as there are technological restrictions in place.

Well worth the watch if you like slasher killer detective movies.

Mixed genres really didn't work

[smatysia · 6/10 · 18 May 2004]

Halle Berry is a beautiful woman, but here she spends most of the movie weeping, grieving, scared to death, and otherwise emoting in such ways as to undermine her natural good looks. Oh, and she technically has a nude scene, but it is dark, the camera is fairly far back, and she (or a double) is situated in such a way that you can tell she is naked, but really don't see anything. The rest is very carefully edited, so that you think you might see something any time, but you never do. Anyway, Berry's character, Miranda Grey, is lost in a Kafkaesque prison for the insane. (A huge plot hole is that she, days earlier, worked at the same prison as a psychiatrist, and is being treated by her former colleagues, and is locked up with her former patients. Come on.) The film doesn't know if it wants to be a psychological thriller or a ghost story. While there's nothing wrong in principle with mixing genres, it really doesn't work here. But, the film is still mildly entertaining, even though filmed with an irritating bluish tinge in all of the hospital scenes. Berry and Penelope Cruz did about all that could be expected with the material. Grade: C+

A fun, a Creepy Ride to Hell of Halley! :O

[midnitepantera · 7/10 · 17 July 2021]

I like this movie, it's not perfect, but overall Berry and Cruz gave good performances and pulled empathy from the viewer. It's got a good horrific dosing of gore through-out and the story line is frightening, anything to do with being locked up in an old Asylum, whether you should be or not is SCARY to think of, but especially if you Don't belong there. :O These are the kind of horror movies that are more scary, if you try hard to put yourself in the main characters shoes, because this type of False Imprisonment and Torture happened ALOT back in the old days and still happens today, except the buildings aren't labyrinthian Gothic nightmares (still eye candy to me, all the old gothic bat-winged style asylums, they just have such an evil personality and a terrifying ominous presence, that's why hundreds of years later we still see these old asylums used in horror movies, because modern architecture is just FULL ON BORING!) These old creepy gothic structures are a villainous character all their own and only add to the terror of any horror story. And the mix of reality vs supernatural was a nice touch, because half the time your not really sure if it's real, is she losing her mind, or is it supernatural? I enjoyed it and think most horror fans will enjoy it too, at least 1 time. :D.

Uninspired and Pointless

[drsalem72 · 1/10 · 24 November 2003]

Think of any 10 of the better horror movies/psychological thrillers you can. Now pick the better or more memorable scenes from each. Now slap them together in your mind and picture what that would be like as a movie. Odds are it's at least twice as good as Gothika.

Gothika is the story of Dr. Miranda Grey, a psychologist at some sort of prison, the best they have in fact (cliché #1). She ends up becoming an inmate in that very prison when her husband is found brutally murdered and she is the only suspect (yawn, cliché #2). Many more clichés follow as the story unfolds. Other characters, include Robert Downey Jr. as "the colleague/friend (who happens to be the 2nd best doctor at the prison) who becomes her doctor and wants to help her because he loves her even though he doesn't believe her story", and Penelope Cruz as "the crazy inmate/ex-patient of Miranda's who becomes her only friend on the inside when everyone else thinks she's guilty and/or crazy." There are more, but I won't name them all.

The scares in this movie were cheap and blatantly telegraphed to the point where I laughed out loud at the people in the theater who jumped. The plot twists were extremely predictable as well. No real shock when the villain is revealed because if you just look at all the people in it, this person is probably the most obvious choice to play a villain in a movie of this genre. Even if you can't figure it out, the scene where it is revealed that this person is the villain is so drawn out that Halle Berry is definitely the last one to figure it out.

As if we didn't have enough of a mess on our hands already, now you have to figure in the supernatural elements of the film. That's right, ghosts, spiritual presences, whatever you call it, it's there, and it's utterly ridiculous.

Overall, the story couldn't seem to get out of its own way. The story is like a bad rendering of what it would be like to throw The Sixth Sense, Kiss the Girls, The Life of David Gale, The Fugitive, and at least 10 other movies just like those into a blender and hit puree.

The number one area where this movie fails is the writing. The direction isn't all that great either, but the writing is the big one. The acting was decent. Everyone did the best they could with what little they were given to work with. Some of the characters seemed downright pointless when all was said and done, namely Robert Downey Jr. and Penelope Cruz.

I watched this movie with a group of friends, and it was pretty clear that during the movie some of them were enjoying it while I was yelling profanities at the screen. However, one of them indicated to me that the determining factor in whether or not they would like it was how it ended. The ending was even worse than I had anticipated. It left the five of us sitting in the theater, scratching our heads saying `What? Why?'

Unexpectedly predictable

[moopet · 4/10 · 15 August 2004]

Why was this film called "Gothika"? That was never explained, except maybe it sounded cooler and was more likely to attract younger viewers.

Halle Berry is quite good. Certainly she has a nice bottom. Some of the other actors are quite below average.

If you've seen any "ghost" story since THE SIXTH SENSE, you aren't going to be much surprised by this one. It bears more than a small similarity to STIR OF ECHOES in its atmosphere.

Visually moderately appealing, the movie's plot took a turn for the worse about 2/3 of the way through and the final few scenes let it drop off into yawn-inducing territory, I'm afraid.

A horror I liked!

[ororomunroe1805 · 10/10 · 7 May 2004]

People really must lighten up about movies. Before they were for pure entertainment, and could be as good or bad as they wanted to be, but they were to be watched for pleasure and not to be scrutinised to death.

Gothika was entertaining; it was fun, scary, sinister and spooky. It was good and if we look over the predictability and insignificant holes then we can maybe see a good movie. The characters were great, Miranda and Chloe heading a thoroughly good cast that carried a more than decent movie. The directing must be given its due credit, and this is a much better movie overall than the mess of 'parodies' and 'romantic comedies' that are tumbling out of the cinema right now like a drowning and persistent tidal wave.

I personally fell in love with the movie after never seeing a horror before in my life. In my mind it reaches to be one of Halle Berry's best movies to date, and my favourite movie of the year so far. Then again I can sit back and let myself enjoy a movie instead of waiting hungrily for holes and bloopers to come out and entertain me instead.

8/10