Awesome! Scared The Hell Out Of Me

Rating: 9/10 (15 June 2010)

this was scary as all hell. this has got to be the first Scorsese film that can be labeled a horror film. it was definitely one of the scariest things i've seen since Kubrick's 'The Shining'. i scare pretty easily but i still love horror flicks, but most horror flicks are based a lot on menaces that are not plausible. like Kubrick's 'Shining' the scares here feel very real and...well let's hope not, somewhat plausible
Scorsese is one of those rare Hollywood directors who can always justify a large budget and big film making. when a film is this good it's hard to quibble about how it came into being. the obviously large budget provides this film with a glossy, slick look to it and near perfect professionalism in all categories. the script is excellent and the acting, from everyone in the cast down to the bit players as nurses and guards, are outstanding.
this film actually gave me a nightmare the night i watched it. the ending of the film will probably give us all nightmares for the rest of our lives. i've never seen so many horrifying images of cadavers and torment and death since Ken Russell's shock fest "The Devils". one shock moment in particular had me reeling. but i won't spoil it and tell.
this is first class Hollywood story telling. even though it incorporates all the latest technology of cinema, and is excessively gory, it looks and feels like a Hollywood classic from the 30's or 40's. it was even better than Hitchcock's film classic 'Spellbound'(one of Hitch's more overrated classics)
at the end the story might feel somewhat obvious and predictable to some, but getting there is most of the fun. and it still leaves it up to the audience to solve it for themselves. what happened? why is the 67th patient there? you decide. pure story telling genius. and i hate to over trumpet things.