Red Lights (2012) User Reviews

Excellent First Half, and Then It Takes a Dive

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 10 January 2013]

Psychologist Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) and her assistant (Cillian Murphy) study paranormal activity, which leads them to investigate a world-renowned psychic (Robert DeNiro) who has resurfaced years after his toughest critic mysteriously passed away.

I really enjoyed the first half of this film, with the crew debunking psychics and trying to find their methods. Weaver is not my favorite actress, but she does a fine job being the cynic. Cillian Murphy is excellent as always, his eyes sparkling, and I wonder if he has finally broken through to the top of the pile (I feel like he should have done so a decade ago, but I suspect the average person has never heard of him).

The second half is less than spectacular, as we focus on DeNiro's so-called powers. Things blowing up, a man flying... it just seems to get too supernatural, and I do not care for it. The film makes attempts to redeem itself, but I feel like it should have just stayed on the path it set out for itself in the first half...

Better than expected, but still flawed.

[Agent10 · 7/10 · 23 January 2021]

When you see the cast list for this film, you have to wonder why it never succeeded. Red Lights is not a perfect film by any stretch, but it is still engrossing and approaches the subject matter with a care and detail you wouldn't expect.

In regards to my experience with Spanish and Mexican filmmaking (I bunch them because they seem to have similar artistic tropes) Red Lights possesses much of the same details. Moody lighting, technically sound editing and generally brisk pacing. We get this during the first 2/3 of the film, and then things kind of fall off the track. Cillian Murphy's character is becoming unhinged and possibly the more frenetic pace and editing is meant to match that. Either way it wasn't necessary. Murphy has enough range and chops to bring that energy to the screen.

What I especially loved was Robert De Niro's performance. Hammy, over the top when it needs to be, nuanced and bizarre when the story calls for it. I especially enjoyed the aspects of how Sigourney Weaver and Murphy hunt down and debunk the fake mediums and psychics. It's clear the director has some experience or did massive research on the subject. I appreciate this because we were definitely brought into the world of the skeptics and the believers.

There is really only a couple things I disliked. The music was basic at best, sometimes coming in too hard and melodic. I especially did not like the score for the final scene, which is really the only part of the movie I take issue with. In a perfect world, the score and the Coda would have been removed, and instead the final scene could have played out like The Usual Suspects. Either way, we got the ending we got. I think many people would hold it in higher regard if it wasn't spelled out the way it was. Maybe we will get a directors cut (unless the choices were what the director wanted of course).

The movie won't wow you but it will bring you in. I enjoyed the premise and while the ending was too spelled out... I had no problem with the final resolution.

Bet you'll never guess how it ends. Because it's stupid.

[rooprect · 28 January 2018]

No, the story resolution itself isn't stupid. I'm talking about the ridiculous over-the-top theatrics that turn this otherwise intelligent story into a carnival, heavy on the cotton candy. All subtlety is lost, and we're given a razmatazz final scene that beats the point home harder than getting your head slammed into a ceramic sink so hard that it breaks (the sink). Twice. By the way, that's what happens to a character, and the character still manages to walk away like nothing happened.

That little sink example is the perfect illustration of how this movie, which initially began so well I spent the first hour whispering to myself, "how did I never hear of this awesome movie before?" falls apart in the last 30 minutes and becomes almost a parody of every cheesy action flick you've ever forgotten. "Red Lights" begins with one of the most suspenseful 'gotcha' scenes in movie history--simply because it's the *opposite* of every thriller cliché you'd never expect it. Immediately the film establishes itself as the true skeptic's thriller: a movie that'll scare the crap out of people who don't scare easily because they don't fall for ghosts and demons and spooky gags. This film sucks us into the intrigue NOT on the promise of supernatural gimmicks but on the opposite: a cryptic, real-world secret that explains all the fake supernatural stuff.

Finally, I thought! A movie that can carry the suspense with pure, scientific reality. Almost like Mythbusters but with a dead person or two. Like a good political thriller ("Manchurian Candidate", "The Spy Who Came In from the Cold"), the film is tense and riveting even though there aren't any shootouts or car chases or space robots. But, oh dear lord, all of that gets flushed in a supremely preposterous climax that left me wondering if the real director died during filming and was replaced by JJ Abrams.

Nobody is more disappointed than I am, because I really thought this would become one of my top 10 thrillers. Great acting, excellent mood cinematography and a wonderfully original story had the deck stacked in its favor. I'm still in shock that it turned so sour, most probably for the sake of dazzling the less attentive audience members who demand gratuitous fight scenes and pyrotechnics (literal pyrotechnics lol) to give us a wow bang finish.

Lights at the end of tunnel.

[alangsco · 7/10 · 19 June 2012]

Firstly, apologies for the review title. I've seen too many tabloid headlines.

Red Lights was reasonably original, well-written and well-acted. Any movie that can tick these three boxes is worth a look. Although the build up to the introduction of De Niro's character (Simon Silver) represented a slightly excessive portion of the movie it was, nevertheless, interesting. I gather the ending has divided opinion quite a lot, and I admit that it could have been done much better. I've said before when reviewing movies that it's never a good sign when you have to have a character explicitly explain just what has happened in the film. It might have been a better idea to leave it without the explanation and let the audience decide. That might have stoked up debate in a good way and generated some more interest in the film.

Acting-wise i'm sorry to say i'm always skeptical when Robert De Niro appears in a movie nowadays. The man was a terrific actor in his day, but he's been in a lot of recent turkeys. He doesn't have a lot of screen-time here but his performance was fine. If he keeps choosing credible films like this one his reputation will start to repair itself. Sigourney Weaver performs with credit as usual and I always rate Cillian Murphy highly.

Definitely worth going to see this. It's above average, if only slightly.

A Good Movie Destroyed by the Awful Rushed Conclusion

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 22 December 2012]

The skeptical psychologist Dr. Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) and her assistant, the physician Tom Buckley (Cillian Murphy), are specialists in disclosing fraudulent paranormal phenomena. When the famous psychic Simon Silver (Robert De Niro) reappears to his public after many years of absence, Tom becomes obsessed to investigate whether Silver is a fraud or not.

"Red Lights" could have been a good movie with an intriguing premise. Unfortunately the plot is destroyed by the awful rushed conclusion, leaving many open questions behind. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Poder Paranormal" ("Paranormal Power")

Some good twists, some poor twists and some excellent actors

[tgooderson · 7/10 · 23 June 2012]

Psychologist and paranormal investigator Dr. Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) and her assistant Dr. Tom Buckley (Cillian Murphy) a physicist travel around debunking supposed paranormal activity from bumps in the night to stage psychics. Dr. Buckley wants to investigate their most challenging person to date, Simon Silver (Robert De Niro), a redound psychic who is making a comeback after a thirty year absence from the stage. Dr. Matheson warns Buckley against this though after having come up against him in the 1970s and failing to prove him a fraud. With the help of student Sally Owen (Elisabeth Olsen) Buckley defies Matheson and begins investigating the illusive Silver.

As a radical atheist and sceptic the film's ideas appealed to me. I was delighted to watch the scientists make fun of and debunk people who claim to see ghosts and be able to read minds. The script treats these people with distain and isn't afraid to mention how these people can be responsible for giving stupid people false hope and can even cost lives. The cast is also amongst the best of any film this year. With actors such as Signourney Weaver, Cillian Murphy, Toby Jones, Joely Richardson, the delightful Elizabeth Olsen and my all time favourite actor Robert De Niro, anything less than a great film would be a disappointment. Well, this isn't a great film but it isn't terrible either.

The cast are all great. It's nice to see Sigourney Weaver in a more substantial role for a change and not just popping up at the end of a sci-fi film. She is believable as a psychologist and it's fun to see her spa with Toby Jones. Her character also has just the tiniest bit of doubt which makes her fallible and this is conveyed well by the actress. Cillian Murphy is also excellent as the physicist but is a bit more mysterious than Weaver. He gets better as his character develops as the film progresses. Elisabeth Olsen gives another good performance but after her break out roles in Mary, Martha and Safe House takes a bit of a back seat here. De Niro, who as I said is my all time favourite actor doesn't embarrass himself for once and while we don't get De Niro of the 70s or 80s he's on good form here. The supporting cast of Submarine's Craig Roberts, Joley Richardson, Toby Jones and English language newcomer Leonardo Sbaraglia help to round out a great cast with good performances.

The plot develops at a good pace and it gets darker and scarier as it goes on. I wasn't able to get the main twist which was a satisfying if ever so slightly confusing one but De Niro's twists were ridiculously obvious and pointed to far too much. Anyone can see what is going on, you just have to watch. The camera work is far too busy for my liking. One scene featuring Murphy and Olsen having a conversation in a café used about seven different camera angles and it became a little distracting. After filming Ryan Reynolds in a box for his last feature Buried, director Rodrigo Cortes could have done with making his latest film a bit more confined.

The first hour is definitely better than the second and there was an echo of "oh, well then" as the lights went up in the cinema. The film loses its way slightly in the second half and the somewhat pedestrian script comes to the forefront. While the actors do a good job and while there is plenty to like the ending isn't brilliant and doesn't do the opening justice. Even so, it's nice to watch some great actors delivering good performances and the twists should keep most people guessing.

www.attheback.blogspot.com

Paranormal Piffle

[dharmendrasingh · 7/10 · 21 June 2012]

Not much has been made of it, but 'Red Lights' has a twist which, I don't care how attentive or clever you are, you will simply not predict. Paranormal-themed films are getting to be quite stale, but the ending, which actually has two twists, is marvellous and might - might - galvanise the genre.

Sigourney Weaver and Cillian (pronounced 'Kill-ian') Murphy play Doctors Matheson and Buckley. They're a psychologist and physicist who investigate psychic claims. Invariably they come away from each case laughing. Every one is explained scientifically; rationally. They're exposed as magic tricks.

Recent roles haven't reflected why Weaver, who is nearly 65, has been so prolific of late, but here she excels. Her character is meant to be an expert and, because of the plausibility she exudes, that's exactly how I viewed her. Writer-director Rodrigo Cortes' ('Buried') excellent script assists her characterisation. Intellectual, detailed, life-like: you could be mistaken, at moments, for watching a TV show debate. Murphy gets similar credit. He invests in his role a seriousness which might have been silly if he did so in isolation.

The doctors find their match in Simon Silver (Robert De Niro), a famous psychic who comes out of retirement for one last pay check. He's the only one Weaver won't investigate because 'he's the only one who makes her doubt'. Murphy insists, however, but when he does, he – we – uncover more than we were expecting.

Like you (I hope), I'm convinced that psychic ability is balderdash. So I was more than impressed at how Cortes creates a mood and a tempo that keeps you guessing until the dramatic end. His film is original, suspenseful and, most importantly for a film with this premise, credible.

But then there's De Niro, my favourite actor. Always has been. Always will be. But my God has he been making it hard for me these past 20 years. He once said that he was an actor, not a personality. I think it's time for him to update his personal quote book. Why do I say this? Because (and I deeply regret admitting this) he's the single biggest reason why 'Red Lights', regardless of Weaver's and Murphy's endeavours and the superb final twist, will join his expanding cannon of fodder.

www.moseleyb13.com

Mythbusters

[view_and_review · 7/10 · 12 March 2022]

Dr. Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) and her assistant, Dr. Thomas Buckley (Cillian Murphy), are university professors who debunk psychics, mystics, healers, and other similar snake charmers. They have never met a fraud they couldn't uncover, until Simon Silver (Robert De Niro).

Simon Silver had been around for ages doing his schtick. Margaret went up against him years ago and lost. He stopped performing for a long time after an opponent of his died of a heart attack during one of his shows. For some unknown reason he is seeking to make a comeback and Tom Buckley wants to take him down. Even though Tom is hankering to expose Simon, Margaret is not sold on the idea, in fact she's opposed to it, but Tom will not be denied.

When Tom starts the process of trying to figure out Simon's tricks many weird things begin to happen. Is Simon doing all of this? Is he really as powerful as he claims?

"Red Lights" is atmospheric and well paced with good dialog. I like the plot idea: using science and instrumentation to expose fraudulent psychics and mentalists. My sentiments are always with the most sincere and the least arrogant, yet I'm always looking out to see if I'm being swindled by the movie itself. "Red Lights" keeps everything fairly straightforward without too many plot tricks. This was a good movie and a good quality production overall.

Free on IMDb TV.

An intelligent mystery

[snodlander · 8/10 · 21 June 2012]

I wasn't sure what to expect from the trailers. Gore and horror aren't my thing, unless it's done well, and so few are these days. However, I was pleasantly surprised. This has less to do with the supernatural and more to do with belief systems in a modern world.

The story focuses upon two scientist professors that fill in the time between classes by investigating and exposing psychic frauds, be they petulant schoolgirls or venal evangelists. So when Murphy presses to investigate a famous mystic, why is Weaver so reluctant to agree? Is De Niro gifted with extraordinary powers, or a clever con artist? The atmosphere becomes more menacing and oppressive as the film progresses, leaving me wondering whether Murphy was becoming paranoid, or whether De Niro really was targeting him. The end, though not exactly the Sixth Sense ending some are proclaiming, was certainly unexpected.

Great acting from the leads, as you would expect. Great dialogue. Not much in the way of action, nor thankfully schlock horror, but the tension mounted throughout the film. A clever and satisfying film.

1/2

[BharatSamra · 6/10 · 5 July 2012]

Not very often do you see such juxtaposition in film in terms of narrative structure. Unfortunately the second hour of this ambitious thriller fails to follow its enthralling predecessor, which explores a new and engaging concept.

Following in the footsteps of the director, why not separate my review into two halves? Though I will try not to decline in the quality of analysis.

With a highly respected and frankly quite surprising cast (the surprise being the lack of marketing and attention the film has received), nothing negative can be said of the fine performances, most notably from our protagonist Cillian Murphy. The actors deliver dialogue to assist the slow plot development and at times subtle, appropriate humour between Murphy and Sigourney Weaver's characters. The chemistry between the two paranormal researchers is evident throughout and it is not until one of the film's many expositions where this is lost. This technique of continuous revelations is what enables an audience to remain in their seats despite having perhaps consumed too much of the overpriced beverages from the lobby, and as cliché as it is, keeps you on the edge of your seat. (hopefully not due to irritability) The script itself unveils an original idea of exposing paranormal phenomena as fraudulent, which itself is reason enough to enjoy this film in theatres while you still can!

Now onto the second hour, I mean paragraph. The immediate impact of the arguably primary disequilibrium can be felt as it occurs, as the tone of the motion picture changes. Unexpected plot holes begin to expose themselves as spots might to a thirteen year-old. This unfortunate turn in events (speaking both figuratively and literally) proves to lead to an eventual anti-climax, that cannot be described as anything else but disappointing. As a consumer, I found myself questioning where exactly the film was going, as one might if taken on a different bus route to a usually predictable destination. Though we ended up at the expectation of predictability and disappointment. (only an expectation in hour two) Anticipating the final exposition was a task of its own, would there be a resolution? Would our unusual tragic hero achieve his goal? How would a new equilibrium be incorporated? This is what kept blinking to a minimum throughout, though eyes were still rolling at particular moments due to the inconceivable mistakes and unexplained occurrences. We were almost being rushed towards the end of the story so that the theatre could get more people to enjoy the film for an hour or tw... forget it, just the one hour.

Without the cast to save the ambition and potential of Rodrigo Cortes' piece, it no doubt would have been a disaster in all respects and its already mundane box office performance would be as low as my mood coming out of Screen 14 last Wednesday. With all respect to the director/writer though, 'Red Lights' is worth watching based solely on the first 60 minutes because of the idea, as well as the performances of the many talented actors, despite some characters being completely irrelevant and unnecessary. If you find yourself searching for something to do one evening, and if there are no particular films you desire to see, but you desire to see a film then 'Red Lights' will moderately satisfy your appetite, though you may be disappointed there wasn't more on the plate.

Poor Man's 6th sense

[buddybhupender · 7/10 · 19 September 2012]

Don't be discouraged with the summary of my review!! i am merely stating the fact that if the studio had been more enthu about the project it would had been a successor to the movies like inception or the prestige!! I saw this movie and i was quite excited about it simply because the plot was somehow familiar yet original..in the sense of their connection with the basic idea of a typical human life's struggle to understand the unexplained phenomena of para or divine potential of human mind which has been never proved or rejected completely in modern science.

The starting of the movie might not appeal to most of the people as i also felt that the initial 10-12 minutes were not a good way to begin which simply never connected with the main theme of the movie...but as i said it was ambiguous yet was connected to the movie within the very first thirty minutes or so..yet most of the audience might go with me on this that it was not a good way to start the movie...may be the writing had to be more experimental or visionary to scout a new scenario to feel more majestic enough to build a sense of connectivity with the modern day conflict to accept or reject the thought of something superior than science.

But never the less the script yet had enough material to keep the interest of mine going..i was dying to know what actually is gonna happen..thought i might like to add that these movies are totally driven from plot or the thought process yet some clever direction and sound effects and nice acting made it possible for me to enjoy this movie..i will not say it is great but it is decent enough to share with people you know...but don't want to compare it with inception or other psychological thriller of recent times...but still i was not happy the way studio has never taken it seriously.

A good budget might have ensured it a more improved run on the predecided media but overall it is still a good watch. I would like to say that Cillian Murphy(Red Eye fame) amazed me with me his performance.

Robert De Nero was typical and Sigourney Weaver also done her part well. There was nothing to do much for others.

Overall movie does have its predictable nature but one had to be smart enough to figure it.

My only complaint is that it had potential but the production house never was excited about it so it is a just one time watch.

Watch it and you will not be disappointed but may not feel entertained like inception or the prestige or the 6th sense.

A brilliant effort despite the production constraints!!! 7/10

Spanish-US co-production about scientists who attempt to debunk fake healers

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 1 January 2013]

Psychologist Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) and her assistant study paranormal activity named Tom Buckley (Cillian Murphy) , which leads them to investigate and unlock a world-renowned psychic who has resurfaced years after his toughest critic mysteriously passed away. Margaret is a professional skeptic who bears a dark past . Then the legendary blind psychic Simon Silver (Robert De Niro , his wife, Grace Hightower, plays the African-American talk show host who interviews him) comes out of retirement after 30 years . Buckley remains determined to discredit the hugely popular and seemingly genuine Silver . Buckley enlists the aid of his star student, Sally (Elizabeth Olsen) . Together, they employ a dazzling array of high-tech tools to debunk the secrets of Silvers abilities .

This interesting film contains suspense , thrills , intrigue ,intense drama and plot twists . The picture succeeds because the thriller, tension , as well as a superbly written script delving into the human psyche in such extreme situation and dealing with the issue of swindlers , false physicians , and other fraudulent healers . The movie works on many levels , being constantly reconfigured and plenty of twists and turns . Despite its medium budget the picture manages to be intelligent, intriguing and thrilling . Good performance from Sigourney Weaver as Dr. Margaret Matheson as a world's foremost investigators of paranormal phenomena and her partner, Tom Buckley well played by Cillian Murphy . Fine support cast as Toby Jones as Paul Shackleton , Joely Richardson as Monica Hansen , Elizabeth Olsen as Sally Owen and Leonardo Sbaraglia as Palladino .

This theme about scientists who carry out activities to debunk dozens of fraudulent mind readers, ghost hunters, faith healers has been treated in other films such as Fairy tale (1998) and Photographing fairies (1997) , both of them filmed under different point of sight . ¨Red Lights¨ packs a thrilling and suspenseful musical score by Victor Reyes . Furthermore , a colorful and appropriate cinematography by Xavi Gimenez . This Spanish film starred by an American-all-star-cast and with international success was compellingly written , produced and directed by Rodrigo Cortes who previously made a hit titled ¨Buried¨ .

Evidence

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 12 December 2012]

Sometimes Questions are answered without the viewer knowing it and others raised without the viewer noticing. This movie is one of those instances that will have you guessing from start to finish. With some nice twists along the way, everything is set up along the way, so if you really think about it, there is no real cheat in it (no pun intended).

The director keeps it close and walks a fine line, with a really great cast to support the theme and the story. You might not be pleased by how this movie resolves the issue at hand, but can't deny that the story has quite a lot of appeal. I did like the movie, even though I can see why some people were not that invested in it. The beginning is really great (especially if you haven't read anything about the story).

Energetic, accessible, engrossing

[karmaswimswami · 7/10 · 24 June 2014]

Rodrigo Cortes has all the makings of an auteur. "Red Lights" really puts the hook in viewers, and is hard to stop watching once it gets going. You get the feeling Cortes is quite enthusiastic, just dying to tell you this yarn. His script is well-written, intelligent, and never bamboozles. Elisabeth Olsen is incandescent, and the performances from all the leads have them in top form. Some may criticize the film as being overproduced: many sequences are bursting forth with camera angles and takes, and these combined with Cortes's fulminating style of editing sometimes give the film the feel of "Desperate Hours." But I loved this film, loved the color palette, loved the patois and exposition, and admire Cortes's confident bombast. Great things are coming from this filmmaker.

quirky odd film with some unexpected twist

[Brittany224622 · 7/10 · 14 July 2022]

It was definitely and odd ball of a film. But I was sort of excepting that with the premise of the movie. I love Elizabeth Olsen and a huge fan of her acting so i finally watched this one. She doesn't have a lot of screen time and was kind of disappointed in how her character doesn't get enough development and she is kind of just "there" as a side character it would have been nice to see a more dynamic storyline for her. Cillian was pretty good in this as well. The acting is top notch but I felt the pacing of the story is where some of the issues arise. It's also unconventional so i can see why some people didn't like the film. The ending wasn't what I thought I won't spoil it but it was kind of strange. There were elements I liked in this and other things I didn't. As with all films you can't please everyone its kind of niche type of movie for sure.

Worth it, just for the actors

[bowmanblue · 7/10 · 15 May 2014]

Red Lights is about a team of professional sceptics, aka Cillian Murphy and Sigourney Weaver, who go around 'debunking' supposed psychic and supernatural occurrences (think Sculley from the X-files, but without the oversize flashlight and shoulderpads).

They seem to be making a good living off picking holes in séances and mediums when along comes our friend Robert DeNiro, who appears to be the 'real deal.' Cue a battle played out in the media as they do their best to try and disprove his act.

Red Lights is certainly not the best film in the world, but it's different. I can't think of many other films that cover similar topics. And, of course you have the three big leads who elevate it to something higher than just a B-movie.

There are some twists and turns in the plot (one of which I saw coming, one I didn't) and I won't give those away. However, based on what I've read from other people on the internet after watching it, whether you approve of the 'twists' will ultimately determine your enjoyment of the film. I guess it's a case of you have to watch the film to find out whether you'll like it or not.

I thought it was good. Not great, but solid enough to be enjoyable.

http://thewrongtreemoviereviews.blogspot.co.uk/

great idea, mediocre directing

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 26 August 2013]

Dr. Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) is a skeptical psychologist. Tom Buckley (Cillian Murphy) is her assistant physicist. They are specialists in debunking frauds. Simon Silver (Robert De Niro) is the psychic who got away. He reappears after years of absence. Can they prove his fraudulent ways once and for all?.

Something happens halfway thru the movie that drains away much of the tension. But it's still able to move along. The biggest problem is the mediocre directing from Spanish director Rodrigo Cortés. He's just hasn't directed any big budget films. He needs better moves.

Something new, something worth watching

[MaxGate · 9/10 · 15 June 2012]

I was not expecting this movie to be the awesomeness that it was. De Niro and Weaver were the only reason I wanted to watch this movie, but I am glad I did!

This movie attacks the tired old concept of 'is ESP real?' with new vigour, new ideas and explanations. Not a single shot of the movie is unnecessary or a 'filler' shot. And none of the 'scary movie' theatrics to keep you on edge.

It has the right story line, right people and the right scenes to take you where it wants to take you, without the additional drama, not that it doesn't have some clever twists.

This is a 'clever' movie, doesn't spell out everything for you, makes you want to watch it carefully so as to not miss a thing. All in all, its one of the best thriller movies I have seen.

I completely recommend watching it!

C. M

[yusufpiskin · 7/10 · 26 February 2020]

I absolutely loved RED LIGHTS. It was a little thriller with Cillian Murphy, Robert De Niro, Segourney Weaver, and Elizabeth Olsen. It was a very creepy and very engaging thriller with some chilling moments. It seems to me whenever I bring RED LIGHTS up to other movie lovers, they either say "I've never heard of it" or "i didn't like that movie"...which is a huge damn shame, as director Rodrigo Cortes crafts such a subtle, yet very creepy, eerie thriller about two professional skeptics (Murphy, Weaver) obsessed with debunking a famous psychic (Robert De Niro) of his "powers" only to be thrown into a horryifing/creepy game of cat and mouse that keeps you guessing and wondering until the very end. If you have yet to see RED LIGHTS, get on it! It's a very satisfying Thriller with some jaw-dropping twists and turns!

"How did you do that?"

[richardchatten · 7/10 · 3 February 2020]

This starts with the attention squarely on Weaver as with 'Copycat', but Robert De Niro (in dark glasses and uncut hair like Cornelius the clairvoyant in 'The Thousand Eyes of Dr Mabuse') assumes centre stage in the second half, with Cillian Murphy holding the whole thing together.

The twist ending is cute, but like most such endings I don't know how it would stand up to a second viewing.

'Red Lights' doesn't quite bedazzle the viewer as brightly as it might have done

[Weirdling_Wolf · 7/10 · 19 July 2021]

While writer/director Rodrigo Cortés 'Red Lights' is a greatly flawed supernaturally-inclined, spoon-bending thriller, that for me at least, has much to recommend it to fellow mystery-loving, ectoplasmically-inclined fantasy fans, since not the very least of the film's myriad diverting merits is the deliciously hammy performance by an audaciously unfiltered Robert De Niro as the grandstanding, visually impaired, scenery scoffing master illusionist Simon Silver, his frequently distracting, unwieldy mannerisms being consummately balanced by more nuanced work by Sigourney Weaver as hard-nosed, hoax-bunking paranormal investigator Dr. Margaret Matheson, with her loyal, stalwart assistant Tom Buckley being played with palpable bright-eyed pathos by the luminously ingenuous Irish actor Cillian Murphy. While the occasionally muted 'Red Lights' doesn't quite bedazzle the viewer as ardently as it might have done, I sincerely feel that it deserves a second unbiased look, since the psychologically dense plot is never less than engaging and the hyperbolic climax is an appropriately overwrought spectacle of vainglorious Las Vegas excess!

Psychic Robert De Niro

[johnnyhbtvs27 · 6/10 · 10 February 2022]

Red Lights has a gripping first hour and a less successful second hour. The first half with Sigourney Weaver & Cillian Murphy debunking psychics is good fun but the film starts to lose it's way when trying to make it appear Robert De Niro may be the real deal. It's an interesting movie nonetheless.

A very entertaining, tense and interesting movie that is pretty original. Easily keeps you watching. I recommend this, I say B+

[cosmo_tiger · 8/10 · 30 September 2012]

"What I'm saying is that after 30 years of investigating all kinds of phenomena with the right controls in place I have yet to witness a single miracle." Paranormal researchers Dr. Margaret Matheson (Weaver) and Tom Buckley (Murphy) are the best at what they do. What they do is to go around and prove that psychic phenomena and the psychics that do them are frauds. When legendary psychic Simon Silver (De Niro) comes out of retirement and comes to the town that Matheson & Buckley live in Buckley wants his shot at him. Matheson is leery, and with good reason. I have said before that there are really only 3 ideas for movies that just keep getting remade over and over. This movie is an exception. The acting is obviously very good but the thing that I liked most about this movie is that I didn't predict the ending. Watching as many movies as I do it has become very easy to guess the endings. I did get one of the twists but the big one surprised me and I love when that happens. Other then that aspect the movie is actually very good and keeps you tense almost the entire time, with is hard to do in a movie about this subject. This is not really a fast paced movie but it is very good and tense and very much worth watching. I enjoyed it. Overall, great acting, great writing and an enjoyable movie to watch. I give it a B+.

Starts out promising...

[adamsandel · 6/10 · 24 June 2020]

... but doesn't stick the landing. Good performances and engaging story, but when we need clever twists we get vague, pretentious speeches, and an ending that doesn't wrap up enough loose ends.

Uneven, but probably worth watching

[Wizard-8 · 12 June 2014]

I decided to give this movie a spin in my DVD player when I found a brand new copy of it for only $1.25. While I did find the movie somewhat uneven, I do think there is enough interesting stuff here to make it worth a (low cost) viewing. The movie is decently produced on what probably wasn't a megabudget (even with the stars it boasts.) The angle of the movie - investigating so-called psychic phenomenon - makes for some very interesting scenes showing how the investigation probably goes in real life. And the movie does have a twist at the end that I must admit that I didn't see coming.

The movie is strongest in its first half. When the second half starts to kick in, there are some problems. The movie eventually gets a little slow and tedious; at nearly two hours in length, some shortening could have happened. Another problem is that the Cillian Murphy character eventually starts to somewhat irritate the viewer.

In the end, I am glad I saw the movie. Despite its flaws, it did have me interested from start to end. If you wait until you are in a mood where you can forgive some flaws in a movie, you'll likely find the movie of interest to you as well.