The Skeptic (2009) Reviews

• It's heart is in the right place

  Cujo1082010-08-03

  A lawyer's aunt dies and he inherits her house, which she believed to be haunted. He decides to stay there while separated from his wife, and why shouldn't he? After all, he's a die-hard skeptic. This is a very low-key haunted house tale. I'd say it works more as a mystery than outright horror, though it's all fairly straightforward. While the old house is an atmospheric setting, the film is devoid of any chilling moments. Well, I take that back. There is one good scare, but it turns out to be a false one, no threat. The atmosphere of the house is there, it's just that the filmmakers fail to utilize it to any sizable extent. I also felt that the ending was too abrupt. I don't mind abrupt endings, but this one really pushed it. Tim Daly is okay as the "unemotional" lead. Not really a likable sort, I'd say. Tom Arnold is here too, but his part is basically a nothing role. It's Zoe Saldana who steals the show as a high-strung, yet appealing psychic. She could go on to greater things, and no, I absolutely do not consider Avatar a greater thing. The Skeptic isn't bad, but it's nothing too memorable. I do admire it for attempting a quiet, more intimate ghost story in this day of obnoxious, in your face haunting flicks.

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• Good relax-and-curl-up-on-the-sofa-with-a-bowl-of-popcorn movie. . .

  bunny2266222009-05-15

  The movie is about a guy, Bryan Becket (played convincingly by Tim Daly) who, while going through the process of a divorce, moves into his recently deceased aunt's house. The house is soon to be turned over to a University Lab that does sleep studies and studies on paranormal and psychic phenomena. While staying at the house, Bryan becomes aware of strange incidents that allude to a haunting which ultimately entrenches him in a mystery surrounding the secrets of his "blocked" childhood. What I liked about this movie is that it is very laid-back and down-to-earth in it's telling. The way the haunting unfolds in small but creepy events served to make the hair stand up on the back of my neck. This movie doesn't rely on over-the-top haunting events, thank God, and that's what makes it all the more believable. It's simple but very eerie, the way a haunted house movie should be. I also really liked the characters. They were all unique and compelling people and the dialogue is witty and intelligent. Really worth spending 89 minutes of your life on.

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• Good movie, but ending worse than the sopranos

  corychace842009-10-20

  This movie is definitely an interesting movie. The beginning moves along rather well. Keeping my interest as it moves along. The characters are all cast well. It is set at a nice pace as the story develops. I don't really know what to say. This movie was developing so great. Then all of a sudden there's this scene with the shrink and then couple minutes later the movie is finished. The very end is like the sopranos, but worse. I had an easy time making my own ending for that show, but this movie leaves too many questions. This movie could have easily been a 2 hour movie that was great. Instead I feel the end was rushed. Plus the end left you wondering what the hell happened. I mean come on! They had a great movie going and they blew it!!! Had this as a 7 ranking.... changing it to a 6 now that I think about it...

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• Clever and scary

  theeintolerablekidd2009-05-16

  I really liked this film. Like my title says it was clever and scary, maybe even a little too much in places. At one point, I must admit, I had my hands in front of my eyes. A 30 something lawyer moves into his aunts large house after her death. He soon experiences signs that the house may be haunted, but is it haunted or is it all in his head? Either way it makes for a scary movie, and that is what's clever about this film. It leaves you with questions. Good questions, not holes in the script, but intelligent thought provoking stuff. OK maybe that's going a bit far, it's not Freud or anything but it is good solid cinema. Good acting and an evenly paced well executed script. Nice to see Tom Arnold too.

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• Ignore the fact its a "tv cast" this is actually a very good thriller worth the time to see

  dbborroughs2009-08-14

  Surprisingly good horror film about an unemotional married man who's aunt dies leaving him her house. With his marriage in trouble (his wife would like him to show some emotion over something) he moves into the house as part of trial separation. Unfortunately he begins have odd experiences, hearing voices and seeing his dead mother. Further complications arise when it appears the house wasn't left to him but a researcher in sleep deprivation with a side interest in ghosts. As things progress it becomes clear that to unlock the secrets of the house might open doors on dark family secrets. Timothy Daley and Tom Arnold (don't laugh) headline a really good little thriller. Not jump out of your seat scary the film does generate a good amount of tension while firing off appropriate one liners about the situation. Never crossing the line into silliness the film manages to remain solid thrill ride that held my attention to the end. At a time when I'm frequently running across films I lose interest in almost instantly or jumping to the end of so I know how it comes out its so nice to find a movie that not only keeps me watching to the end, it keeps me up until late at night doing so. If there is any flaw in this small scale gem, its that the casting of Daley, Arnold and other TV stalwarts makes the film feel as though its less than it is. After all how can any film with this many TV actors be good? Trust me it is. As I said its not jump out of your seat scary but it is satisfying and well done. between 7 and 8 out of 10

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