Directed by:
Iain SoftleyScreenplay:
Ehren KrugerCinematography:
Dan MindelComposer:
Edward ShearmurCast:
Kate Hudson, John Hurt, Gena Rowlands, Peter Sarsgaard, Joy Bryant, Isaach De Bankolé, David Jensen, Joe Chrest, Jeryl Prescott, Natalie McNeil (more)VOD (2)
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When Caroline takes a job in Louisiana's bayou, she unlocks a deadly secret involving magic that pulls her into a terrifying world of strange and frightening incidences. The key to escaping may lie in a decrepit attic, but if she dares to believe in what she discovers, everything she fears will become real! (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (5)
For the ending, I give the film at least an average rating because it is still an interesting outcome, even though it takes quite a long time to reach it. At times, it is unnecessarily drawn out, which detracts from the atmosphere, and it ultimately relies mainly on the fact that the performances do not ruin the experience. Surprisingly, this is also true of Kate Hudson, whom I otherwise don't like at all.
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The Skeleton Key is a skilfully made horror flick, but in terms of its content, it’s long past it’s sell-by date. The identification with the female protagonist, which is supposed to lead to the crucial conclusion, is effective, but not so much so that it makes for a satisfying ending. It’s rather just surprising. This is a solid thriller without any obvious flaws, but it’s not as intense as it wants to be.
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Ehren Kruger obviously got his writing juices flowing during the remake of the first The Ring because the second film didn't feature much intelligence. The same can be said about The Key. It's not completely stupid, but it's punishingly hollow at certain points. Softley knows how to film dialogue to perfection, but the atmosphere eludes him - the protagonist wanders around the house while the more knowledgeable viewer suspects that there are no boogeymen in the attic. It gets a small bonus for the relatively clever point and a big one for Kate Hudson's nice ass.
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A decent horror film, reasonably suspenseful most of the time, but so stupid towards the end that it slams the door of the house. The voodoo theme is used here for a twist that is anything but clever. The casting of Sarsgaard, then, is somewhat by-the-book, given his typical roles.
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If any film has pleasantly surprised me lately and has truly brought me joy within its genre, it's the horror-themed The Skeleton Key. A smart film with the atmosphere of southern New Orleans, featuring black magic, mysterious rituals, mysticism, and African American animistic cults. It vaguely resembles the high-budgeted Angel Heart. Tension is gradually built, the acting is decent, and the twist ending is surprising. It's a film where the creators can play with the audience's expectations as well as traditional genre props and schemes. Furthermore, the twist ending is soaked in dark and corrosive humor. It's not a film that indulges in jump scares; rather, it's a horror thriller that genre connoisseurs will appreciate. Overall impression: 80%.
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