Gothika (2003)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Mathieu Kassovitz

Writer (WGA):

Sebastian Gutierrez (written by)

Release Date:

21 November 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller | Mystery

Tagline:

Because someone is dead doesn't mean they're gone.

Plot:

Ghost story in which a repressed female psychiatrist wakes up as a patient in the very asylum where she worked with no memory of why she is there and what she has done.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Psychiatrist | Ghost | Blackout | Possession

Awards:

1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Halle Berry	...	Miranda Grey
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Pete Graham
Charles S. Dutton	...	Dr. Douglas Grey
John Carroll Lynch	...	Sheriff Ryan
Bernard Hill	...	Phil Parsons
Penélope Cruz	...	Chloe Sava
Dorian Harewood	...	Teddy Howard
Bronwen Mantel	...	Irene
Kathleen Mackey	...	Rachel Parsons
Matthew G. Taylor	...	Turlington
Michel Perron	...	Joe
Andrea Sheldon	...	Tracey Seavers
Anana Rydvald	...	Glass Cell Nurse
Laura Mitchell	...	Inmate
Amy Sloan	...	Inmate

Also Known As:

Готика (Russia) [ru]
En compañía del miedo (Argentina) [es]
En compañía del miedo... espíritus ocultos (Mexico) [es]
Gootika (Estonia) [et]
Gothika (Finland) [fi]
Gothika (Greece) [el]
Gothika (Japan) [ja]
Gothika (Germany) [de]
Gothika (Spain) [es]
Gothika (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Gotika (Croatia) [hr]
Na Companhia do Medo (Brazil) [pt]

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, brief language and nudity.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Finland:K-15 | Japan:PG-12 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18PL | USA:R (certificate #40310) | France:-12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:15 | Spain:18 | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:14A | Germany:16 | Ireland:18 | Norway:15 | Philippines:R-13 | Singapore:NC-16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Hinchinbrook, Québec, Canada

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Halle Berry broke her arm filming a scene with Robert Downey Jr.. Downey was supposed to grab her arm and twist but twisted too hard and the arm snapped. Production was halted for eight weeks.

Goofs:

Continuity: The position of the cigar on Dr. Douglas Grey's desk.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Chloe: He came back again last night and tore me like paper. He opened me like a flower of pain, and it felt good. He sank into me and set me on fire, like he always does. Made me burn from the inside out.
Miranda: How did you know it was the devil?

Movie Connections:

References Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Soundtrack:

Behind Blue Eyes

Flawed, familiar but a nicely done horror/supernatural thriller.

A Brilliant Criminalogist/Psychologist Dr. Grey (Oscar-Winner:Halle Berry) at the mental hospital for woman at Woodward. Then one day, she finds herself as a Patient without knowing why. She finds out that she murdered her husband (Charles S. Dutton) and she has been seeing a Violent Spirit (Kathlenn Mackey) trying to help her to see the truth what happen to Dr. Grey and the Violent Spirit.

Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz (The Crimson Rivers, Hate) made a extremely familiar but a well made stylish supernatural horror film. This is the highest grossing film for Joel Silver (The Matrix Trilogy) and Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future Trilogy) Production Company-Dark Castle Entertainment. Kassovitz shows some strong visual style in the film makes this work. The film gets better with each viewing. One of the highlights is Matthew Libatique's cinematography (Phone Booth, Requiem for a Dream, Tigerland).

DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) transfer and an terrific-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD has an fine audio commentary track by the director and the cinematographer. DVD also features a music video and the theatrical trailer. Berry gives a good performance but she surrounded by an solid supporting cast like Robert Downey Jr., Penélope Cruz, John Carroll Lynch and Bernard Hill. The film is supposed to take place in the Upstate New York but it is nicely filmed in the country side of Montréal. The film doesn't have much logic but for a supernatural horror film, this is nicely done. (****/*****).