Florence Cathcart (Rebecca Hall) is a conceited and renowned expert in the otherworld of ghastly ghosts. Or to more exact - an expert in demonstrating that they do not exist and uncovering parlour tricks used to create illusions of their presence. Nonetheless each and every time she disproves another false ghost, Florence sighs in anguish, almost hoping that her conviction were misplaced. When Robert Mallort (Dominic West) arrives from a boy's boarding school in Rockford, Cumbria, where a boy was supposedly murdered by a ghost, she reluctantly agrees to aide him. On arrival, she is welcomed by governess Maud (Imelda Staunton), who shows an very intense admiration for Cathcart. Florence immediately sets out to scientifically explain the ghostly apparitions.
Similar in tone and atmosphere to "The Others", Nick Murphy explores the haunting corridors of a vast run-down boarding school, together with all its creaking secrets and dimly lit corners. Despite my intense liking for old-fashioned ghost stories, "The Awakening" however failed in intrigue and turn on, quickly falling into traps of formulaic treatment. A far cry for recreating lasting suspense and - more importantly - an interest in the mansion's mystery, it plods out to a somewhat surprising, but ultimately dreary conclusion, which feels as if ripped off from a nameless ghost flick already seen. Despite some splendid visuals the overall feel just missed a touch of individual flair, making it overly repetitive for anyone with a wider outlook on similar movies. The disjointed narrative naturally does not help proceedings, as it jumps around failing to really get a hold of whatever key story it was telling - rushed in some places, sleepily overstaying its welcome in others.
Similar in tone and atmosphere to "The Others", Nick Murphy explores the haunting corridors of a vast run-down boarding school, together with all its creaking secrets and dimly lit corners. Despite my intense liking for old-fashioned ghost stories, "The Awakening" however failed in intrigue and turn on, quickly falling into traps of formulaic treatment. A far cry for recreating lasting suspense and - more importantly - an interest in the mansion's mystery, it plods out to a somewhat surprising, but ultimately dreary conclusion, which feels as if ripped off from a nameless ghost flick already seen. Despite some splendid visuals the overall feel just missed a touch of individual flair, making it overly repetitive for anyone with a wider outlook on similar movies. The disjointed narrative naturally does not help proceedings, as it jumps around failing to really get a hold of whatever key story it was telling - rushed in some places, sleepily overstaying its welcome in others.