The Skeleton Key (Widescreen Edition)
by Iain Softley
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Gena Rowlands, John Hurt, Joy Bryant, Kate Hudson, Peter SarsgaardDirector: Iain Softley
Brand: Universal
Cinematographer: Daniel Mindel
Producer: Iain Softley
Producer: Clayton Townsend
Producer: Daniel Bobker
Producer: Michael Shamberg
Producer: Stacey Sher
Writer: Ehren Kruger
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language); French (Original Language); French (Dubbed); Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Extra tracks, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 104 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-11-15
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Universal Studios
Movie Reviews of The Skeleton Key (Widescreen Edition)
Movie Review: A Good Thriller With Good Acting, But An Unexplainable Ending
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Skeleton Key" is a strange movie. It is a horror film that relies more on psychological horror than normal horror that invades most horror movies these days. It is a ghost story, although the ghosts are never seen as ghosts. The script, penned by "Ring"-master Ehren Kruger, is effectively terrifying. The acting is great, and the Louisiana town the film is set in is atmospheric and just back-woodsy enough. When the movies falters, the slightest bit that is, it is in the twist ending that makes little sense. But it fits with the rest of the movie. It, too, makes little sense and in scenes such as a club scene and a scene at a gas station seem like they don't really fit into the movie and are only there for the sole purpose of, respectfully, showing a hip, trendy atmosphere and it also being a way to showcase the movie's theme song. And the last is just to scare the audience. Gena Rowlands is good in a supportiing role, but is stuck with bad lines ("Child, I do believe that you broke my legs. Now it's time to pay!"). The script is good, although not frightening, it has some well staged scenes. Although the violence goes way overboard in the last third (broken legs, lynchings, burnings, shootings, strangulations, stabbings, dismemberment) the movie never loses its pacing and stays satisfyingly dark throughout.
Caroline (Kate Hudson) is a hospice worker that regrets not caring for her late father. She gets a job at the Deveraux manse caring for Ben (John Hurt) who suffered a stroke after seeing something shocking in a mirror. Violet (Rowlands) thinks that Caroline will not understand the house. Violet tells Caroline that there used to be a family of rich white bankers that lived in the house. One night, while having a party, the parting guests wanted to bid fairwell to the children. They find them sitting in a hoodoo circle with the servants Mamma Cecile and Papa Justify. The family and guests lynch the servants, whose spirits now haunt the house and appear in all the mirrors in the home. Hoodoo, Caroline finds out, is different than voodoo. Voodoo is more of a religion associated with God. Hoodoo is associated with the fact that, if a person was killed in the write way in a Circle Of Life, the years on the late persons life will be added to the killers, keeping them safe from anything. Caroline becomes entrenched in the hoodoo phenomenon. Peter Saarsgaard appears as a lawyer that helps Caroline.
Their is a twist in the end that is unexplainable, but the less you think about it the more sense it makes. The movie is also scarier because of the twist. And, as a result, the movie makes sense because of the twist. For a change this is a movie that has a twist that isn't cliched and is neccessary. The ending twist may not be needed, but it, in an odd way, it is needed to make sense of the rest of the film.
"The Skeleton Key" is 1 hour 38 minutes.
It is rated PG-13 for Violence (A strangulation, a stabbing, a few shootings, broken legs, lynchings, burnings, and a dismemberment), Disturbing Images (Skin, teeth, animal fetus' are seen in jars, a persons eyes and mouth are shown stitched shut, and we see it happen), Nudity (Brief toplessness), and Language (1 f-word, other profanities).
Summary of The Skeleton Key (Widescreen Edition)
When caroline takes a job in louisianas bayou she unlocks a deadly secret involving magic that pulls her into a terrifying world of strange & frightening incidences. The key to escaping may lie in a decrepit attic but if she dares to believe in what she discovers everything she fears will become real! Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 09/18/2007 Starring: Kate Hudson Gena Rowlands Run time: 104 minutes Rating: Pg13Similar DVD Movies
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