For all doors, not all audiences (The Skeleton Key (DVD))

Member Name: eggerman

Product:	The Skeleton Key (DVD)
Date:	15/10/06 (66 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A little different, great twist

Disadvantages: Something slightly unconvincing, not sure what though

If a supernatural thriller with ups and downs resolved by happy ending is what you are looking for, then this it not for you. That is not a cue to start guessing the ending before or during the film, but a warning for those who prefer all their loose ends to be tied up in a neat little package before the closing credits appear. If you prefer the odd twist, a small disruption in the conventions of cinema as much as I do then give this spooky tale a go if you have nothing better to do.


Like many others, I’m am opposed to predictable ‘slash-em-up’ horrors filled with semi-naked teens meeting a grisly end via a masked foe in a scary mask with a machete. Not that they haven’t contributed to today’s scary movies, they’ve simply had their moment in the sun. Now is the age for mystery, a little tension and reality provided to shake you up. Uncertainty leads to vulnerability, and this has not only been learnt by recent cinema regulars, but also by film-makers Iain Softley and Ehren Kruger.


Kate Hudson (Almost Famous, Dr.T and the Women) adopts the role of Caroline Ellis, a young nurse unsettled by the constant impending death of her patients. She resorts to home help and becomes the carer for Ben Devereaux (Hellboy), an elderly gent crippled by a stroke, rendering him speechless and limiting him to very little movement. His wife Violet (an impressive Gena Rowlands - Taking Lives) currently cares for him in a large house on the outskirts of Louisiana, showing its age with an unmanageable garden. She needs an extra pair of hands to give Ben his medication, bathe him and such, and is introduced to Caroline by estate agent and family friend Luke (Peter Sarsgaard - Flightplan).


Caroline’s job, assisted by her unstoppable curiosity, requires her to have full access to the house and is given the skeleton key by Violet, who tells her that it will open any door in the house. After experimenting, Caroline discovers that there is one door that it will not open, a door abandoned at the back of the attic. She confronts Violet who denies any knowledge and simply asks her not to be so intrusive. Obviously this simply fuels Caroline’s interest and she finds a way into the room, and into a perturbing world of voodoo and dark arts.


As far as performances go, Hudson is her usual versatile self, and Rowlands keeps her audience sat with straight backs using her stout, forceful approach. However Peter Sarsgaard never quite convinced me. Maybe I could not quite comprehend his character, or his acting was a little wayward; either way I was left unsure by his presence.


I must congratulate those who provide the music for current thrillers, and cinema productions worldwide. Some argue that it is easy to do, but a respectable soundtrack can make or break a movie, and this seems to be happening flawlessly recently, with The Skeleton Key being no exception.


Also I am yet to come across many reputable movies that can portray a theme so questionable as the dark arts, voodoo in particular, with a certain degree of awareness.


With that said, apart from the very unexpected twist that I enjoyed ever so much, I do not feel that this would satisfy such a large audience. Please give me feedback on what you made of the film as I am very interested to know what the general opinion is.


For those who are still unconvinced, enjoy some of the always intriguing special features, including The Making Of, various audio commentaries, deleted scenes, casting and trailers, and several relevant stories.


Runtime - 104 minutes
Country - USA
Certification - UK_15 USA_PG13 Ireland_15A

Summary: Good enough