Atmospheric but hollow

Rating: Null/10 (24 August 2004)

I am still in two minds about this film. On the one hand, the atmosphere created was fantastic - off-screen rustlings and growlings combined with unnerving violin music and some fine cinematography created some wonderfully suspenseful moments. And some of the performances were spot on - Bryce Dallas Howard was flawless, Joaquin Phoenix was nicely understated almost to the point of simplicity at times and it was nice to see William Hurt and Sigourney Weaver again, after what feels like ages. But the story? What a pile of s***. I felt really cheated by the ending. The plot was contrived and unconvincing, and to all whose who praised its genius - go back and see. Subsequent viewings will reveal just how ramshackle the story actually is. Someone should tell M. Night Shyamalan that he doesn't have to include an audience-confounding plot twist in every film he makes - he's got more than enough talent to make perfectly good movies without resorting to such manufactured mindf***s.