Reviews

First time I've been exposed to DID (similar to schizophrenia? Or have I got that wrong?) I was impressed by the actress playing Ella, as well as Sorrensen. The futility of her condition gave me the impression that this could have happened before and might happen again: She gains the trust of someone, and in turn learns to trust them in her attempt to break away from ritual abuse. However, in the end she drives a wedge between herself and her would-be rescuer through the fact that they simply cannot handle the excessive traits of her different personality fragments. She ends up back where she started, at the mercy of Barry and his cult, and so the cycle continues.

With regards to the cult, I thought it spoilt it slightly that they went into the detail they did. The effect was much better when it was simply alluded to, especially with Ellas reluctance to divulge information. The 'ceremony' seemed a bit to 70's horror schlock, cheesy if it is possible, given the bleak nature of the film.

Uncomfortable to sit through, but that was probably the aim of those that produced it.

This film was terrible. OK, my favourite film is 'The Wicker Man' (1973), so I was always bound to be a little biased.

The plot rambles along, throwing out enough of the key elements of the original to make the term 'remake' highly dubious. (He's not a virgin, but IS allergic to bees. WOW!) So many things happen that make no sense and are unexplained, which I'm afraid Mr LaBute does not a horror movie make. (How are two people we clearly saw blown up in a car at the start alive and well at the end of the film?) Cage looks haggard and bewildered throughout, and his character is prone to calling out "Rowan!?" at the slightest noise. The 'nods' to the original are irritating as they come off as tacky rather than as intelligent homage. For example, certain incidents mirror the original (The girl falling out of a cupboard pretending to be dead when Woodward/Cage is searching the island) and several lines of dialogue are plucked straight from Anthony Schaffers original screenplay and shoehorned in.

I'm sure others will provide a better and more detailed analysis than this, I really can't be bothered to write any more about this film. It lacks any kind of substance. Throw it on the scrap heap with all the other remakes that have sullied the good names of the films they were 'based' on (in this case very loosely).