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Frágiles (2005) More at IMDbPro »

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35 out of 42 people found the following comment useful :-
When I thought movies wouldn't scare me anymore... came this., 26 January 2006

Author: EvaSalvi from Spain

What could I say about "Fragile"? Well... it was a rainy evening in my town (totally true, not to give effects), and instead of going to the town party I decided to go to the cinema. I had a good idea because I've always admired Balagueró (Los Sin Nombre... great), and I love horror films too, but, like I've said, I had seen three horror movies before and none of them really frightened me. So I got to the cinema and waited for it to start. The atmosphere is very good, it seems they worked a lot to make it, but not only the atmosphere was right like in other films, the story is convincing too, not just "killing-screaming-the end". It starts about a nurse who goes to work in a hospital in an English island. The hospital is about to be closed and the few children who are still there are supposed to be out of there soon. But it's not as easy as it seems, strange things happen in that hospital, one of the girls see somebody who lived and died there, and that "somebody" hurts the kids, by breaking their bones most of the times. The real interest is in what is behind that story, who is that somebody, and why he or she behaves like that. The acting is correct, Elena Anaya, Richard Roxburgh (finally a good role for him!), Calista Flockhart and the kids work efficiently. And most... I'd never been so frightened for a long time. I think that good stories are that which scare me. The same happened with "The Changeling" (somehow similar, somehow different). But worth seeing both of them. I recommend it.

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31 out of 44 people found the following comment useful :-
Like my worst nightmare came true, 19 February 2006

Author: blackdogone from Hungary

I like horror movies. "Fragile" is like nowadays "japanese-horror" movies, but with a bit of European soul added. Everything's set to get you some goosebumps. An old children's hospital that is about to being closed, moody soundtrack, great set decorations and props and makeup, and sound effects that make you jump out of your skin sometimes. The movie hit a bullseye for me. Hospitals and abandoned places scare the hell out of me so watching this movie was like my worst nightmare came true. It was definitively scarier than The Ring. If you get the creep from hospitals, abandoned places and stuff like that, I do recommend this movie.

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30 out of 45 people found the following comment useful :-
Scary and sensitive, 19 December 2005

Author: sandrittafer from Spain

"Fragile" is one of the most scary movies I've ever seen and one of the most beautiful and sensitive. I saw it in Venice and I can tell you that people were really impressed at the end. Some people were even crying, specially women. I confess I was one of them. Calista's performance is deep and strong. The same with Richard Roxbough, Elena Anaya and specially the little girl who plays "Maggie". She is incredibly good. Really special. It's definitely the best movie of Jaume Balagueró. Even better than "THE NAMELESS". A very sensitive approach to the ghost genre in the best classical tradition. Serious and emotional horror stuff.

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15 out of 18 people found the following comment useful :-
help, 25 June 2006
Author: Branimir Bogoevski from Bulgaria

The reviews coming out of Venice were not kind. Indeed some reviews on this site in the message boards were not kind.....OK we are not talking about Oscar material but this film is scary in a non-gory, blood-on-walls, way and is entertaining. If cinema should be fun and a time to suspend belief then this film is OK. If you want challenging subject matter or top drawer acting look elsewhere....if you want to be scared and entertained then go for it. Flockhart is fine, the kids are good, Roxborugh is good, Anaya is good.....just don't expect too much. The sound and cinematography are very good and Jaume Balagueró holds it all together well enough....the story ticks along and builds to the final showdown and you begin to feel some empathy and understanding of the characters but we never dwell long enough on any one character....and we don't really care how or why they are in the hospital all we want to know is well they ever leave? PS:Please I Want to know the name of the soundtrack in the end(or Where i can download It) it's very good and i can't find it anywhere pls help me:]

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15 out of 21 people found the following comment useful :-
Ally McBooooo?, 19 February 2006

Author: rambrandt1234 from United States

There is acting life (albeit horrific) after Ally McBeal! No kidding, I didn't know she could act. But Calista Flockhart can with fluid aplomb as demonstrated by this horror gem. Similar to "The Skeleton Key" in its plot and feel, this hospital horror boo-donit moves quickly into the murky depths of the strange goings-on at a children's hospital that is soon to be closed. When the new night nurse, Amy, played by Flockhart, arrives to take the place of the last (fleeing) night nurse, the creepy nature of the recent 'accidents' of the children and their subsequent fearful behavior give her pangs of heart-felt anguish at their suffering. Her protective instincts (heightened by a job related trauma she herself recently experienced) kick into high gear, and she begins stalking the underlying cause of these events, although the rest of the staff buttress the mystery with listless denial, or is their passivity a part of a larger, more sinister cover-up? The haunting music, sound and visual effects transparently blend together in a well spun intensity that doesn't require the more overtly obvious shock-factor 'bumps in the night' and miscues holding other less dramatically driven, cheap-thrills horror movies together. Hey, we all know its not real, but so is your money, and you won't be wasting it if you rent this movie!

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8 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Suspenseful and well-shot., 23 August 2006

Author: niko-kecek from Slovenia

I just saw this movie and I must admit that I was very pleasantly surprised. The plot is about a nurse (Flockhart), taking a job at a "soon to be moved" children's hospital. Little does she know of the rather strange and spooky events that have been happening there. If you like a movie that knows how to build an atmosphere, movies like The Shining or The Others, you cant do wrong buying a ticket for this one. For me, being a person who almost fell asleep during The Darkness the quality of this movie was even more of a surprise. The acting is a little over the top at times (Flockhart), but as a whole The Fragiles is a well acted, well directed, beautifully shot thriller, and that little girl has eyes that just make you go "aaaawww how sweet":). I give this one a 8.5/10

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20 out of 32 people found the following comment useful :-
A scary, suspenseful yet whimsical story....., 15 October 2005

Author: madtavyboy from Spain

The reviews coming out of Venice were not kind. Indeed some reviews on this site in the message boards were not kind.....OK we are not talking about Oscar material but this film is scary in a non-gory, blood-on-walls, way and is entertaining. If cinema should be fun and a time to suspend belief then this film is OK. If you want challenging subject matter or top drawer acting look elsewhere....if you want to be scared and entertained then go for it. Flockhart is fine, the kids are good, Roxborugh is good, Anaya is good.....just don't expect too much. The sound and cinematography are very good and Jaume Balagueró holds it all together well enough....the story ticks along and builds to the final showdown and you begin to feel some empathy and understanding of the characters but we never dwell long enough on any one character....and we don't really care how or why they are in the hospital all we want to know is well they ever leave?

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10 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
Pretty Damn Good, 30 August 2006

Author: Kezzizzle from United Kingdom

This film, I have to say, was quite impressive. Quite different as well. I thought it would've been a typical horror/thriller movie because of the setting of an "old children's hospital about to closed down", that already gives you a mental image of what you would expect this hospital to look like...dark, spooky, cold. But this film impressed me a lot.

It takes a lot to actually "freak me out" when watching a film as NO film has ever succeeded in scaring me, but this film is quite intense...it's especially good because the film is taking you somewhere, and then suddenly, there is a smart twist, which left me with my mouth wide open! There are also a few bits in the film that actually make you cringe! But I won't spoil that for you.

I'm not a big fan of Calista Flockhart, but I have to say, she was brilliant in this movie.

All in all, if you want to be spooked and want to watch a film with a decent twist in, I advise you to watch this.

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5 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Another scary movie from Catalan genius!, 15 October 2005

Author: rickyrichardo2 from Sweden

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Don't look, don't move and don't even breathe.............

Well this movie opened yesterday in Spain and I saw it and I have to say that I liked it. I have seen the directors two previous movies, LOS SIN NOMBRE and DARKNESS and I think he is one of the most interesting directors in Europe at the moment. Fragile is just like Darkness in English with an international cast, mainly with actors from the UK, but in the lead we see the American actress Calista Flockhart and Australian actor Richard Roxburgh.

The movie starts very slow but after 45 minutes it comes alive and you jump out of your seat a couple of times. The acting is not the best, Calista looks mostly tired throughout the movie and there is a scene between her and Richard that should be very moving but ends up laughable. (you will recognize it when you see the movie).

Spanish actress Elena Anaya is hot and very talented and should have had more scenes.

The best thing with this movie is the mechanical girl, the ghost living on the 2nd floor. She or IT is really scary and the make up artists have done a terrific job. Every time she appears you will definitely be sacred. This movie is not going to go down as one of the best horror movies ever made, but if you like movies like The sixth sense, the omen, the eye you will definitely enjoy this one. I hope Dimension films picks this one up for an US release cause with Calista in the lead I think the movie could gross at least 40-60 million at the box office.

I can't wait for the directors next movie. Viva España!

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7 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
Masterfully done!, 22 June 2006

Author: udar55 from Williamsburg, VA

I just finished watching Jaume (THE NAMELESS, DARKNESS) Balaguero's third film FRAGILE starring Calista Flockheart. It is no secret that I enjoy his work but I really think this is his best film. It is both incredibly scary and emotionally sensitive (something I haven't seen in a horror film since, uh, forever). Balaguero has an amazingly subtle style but he builds the suspense perfectly for the first half. The second half is nearly all chills and they really gave me goosebumps (something I haven't experienced in, uh, a while). He also throws in an excellent twist that would make M. Night envious. And he isn't afraid to take risks as a filmmaker (you'll understand what I mean by the end). Easily one of the best horror films I have seen this year

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