A masterpiece? Feh. (Contains spoilers, sort of)

Rating: Null/10 (21 January 2000)

(WARNING: My comments could serve as a spoiler for the fourteen people who haven't yet seen this movie.)
This is an atmospheric and well-acted movie, but I think the story is told with much more portent and suggestion of deep meaning than it warrants. It's basically a ghost story dressed up like a Bergman film.
I'm not sure about this alleged "twist ending" either. Unfortunately, I heard that the film had a twist ending before I saw it. (I didn't hear what the twist was.) Perhaps because I knew they had one in store for me, I saw it coming a mile away. Still, I think even if I hadn't heard what I heard, I would have figured it anyway. I can't be sure.
Also, I'd like to point out how unconvincing and unsatisfying is the doctor's way of bringing peace to both himself and his wife. Let's just say that the evidence does not support his claim that "you [his wife] always came first [ahead of his work]."