More drama than thriller or horror. At the same time, the rating for such a film is too low, but it is clear where it came from: filmed seemingly professionally, but cheap and sometimes a little in the style of the series.
It is a rare case when looking at the two main characters you realize exactly how one of them got into the role, and how played the other looks. Forest Whitaker is flawless, except for jokes. He is written to play the roles of people hysterical, mentally unstable or stuttering. I will not say that he is absolutely different in each such role (many of his characters are similar at least in facial expressions and gestures), but here it is just one hundred percent hit. He alone created and then held this atmosphere of tension that Anthony Mackie tried to kill by all means. I usually like his play and imagery (almost always verbose), but here he was bad. He tried to look very successful, very confident and calm psychoanalyst, but he looked confident and stupid. And, in general, as it should have been in the story, but it turned out too playful. The moment with the family, with the swaying boat, with the meditation, “I gathered you here because you are all of the same blood” – all this is written to show the superficiality and disbelief in the methods of this therapist, and such things can not be overplayed, otherwise it will look ridiculous. Although, again, Whitaker saves the situation:
I don't know why we're here.
We are here to overcome your fears.
- I'm not afraid of water! I'm afraid of the river.
Thank you very much to the writers. In some ages, a slender beautiful plot with a less intelligible motivation, which - and this is great! - does not open very immediately, so at first we see exactly that a completely sick person with sadistic inclinations and fanatical character. And then it gets more fun. And a wonderful ending. That's right.
Ethics can be discussed, but not necessarily. In short, "Psychic." He's crazy! He's a real psycho, he needs to be isolated! - a wrong reaction to the actions of the hero Whitaker, although he makes exactly that impression, but only at first. He may or may not be understood, but the right question at the end is, “What if he had been wrong about his suspicions?” It becomes even more interesting when you consider that the answer to him prompted either a sorceress or a healer, and in his search he relied on “signs”.
The feeling after the film is strange, but it definitely deserves higher marks.
And also an insanely cute girl in the role of the daughter of the hero Whitaker. There is no need to play there, but she appeared on time and brightened up the abnormality of her father.