Wednesday, 14 October 2015

Regression - The scoop and digest

In 1980, accounts have surfaced that satanic rituals are being practiced in America.

Panic and fear spreads.

Ethan Hawke - Detective Bruce Kenner
David Thewlis - Professor Raines
Emma Watson - Angela Gray
David Dencik - John Gray

Taking place ten years hence, a man (soon to be revealed as John Gray), walks into a police station and claims of sexually abusing his daughter Angela, but with no recollection of doing so.

Assisted by the bearded guidance of psychologist Professor Raines, Detective Bruce Kenner is determined to uncover the truth.

In terms of plot development, there isn't really a great deal to divulge.

Hawke endures half-baked scientific explanation, squabbles with those in close attendance and descends into a paranoid tizz.

After much horsing around, closing scene sees the innocent John pleading with Kenner to leave delusional and lying bitch daughter alone.

Ending text goes something like:

There is no evidence of satanic ritual abuse ever taking place.

Today, regression techniques are not used as it encourages false memories.

Alejandro AmenĂ¡bar spectacularly bungles a genuinely interesting concept and sticking with soporific running time is an achievement in itself.

The usually excellent Thewlis is extremely generic, Hawke howls hysteria and Watson cries irritating wolf.

Okay, working with a script more drab than falling rain doesn't help, but even so...

Mad monks during nightmare sequences are just piss poor excuses to insert ineffective horror.

Old woman (the face of packet soup), prompting 'hush' signal is surely a Sinister reference?

While not the worst film ever conceived, it's definitely one to quickly forget.

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