..:Let The Dead Arise:.. Review on Gothika Movie

...Had no intentions of seeing this flick, but as I received free passes for it..decided to go for it.. It was a hall full of invited yet unknown people, as I took seat by 2 lissome ladies & more than the movie, we were interested in 'em..as who likes to c ghosts when there are 2 damsels besides u?? Neways...the show had to be caught up with...

Was it me who killed my husband?? No..I can't believe it..who was it who killed him then??Enter Dr. Miranda Grey( Halle Berry) whos a criminal psychologist with the Woodwards Penitentiary( a state or federal prison) for women & suddenly her world is devastated by the brutal killing of her hubby, Doug...

First up shes examining Chloey (Penelope Cruz) who believes in the paranormal & talks of a ghost whos torturing her..That day after work as Grey is returning home shes runs into the ghost of a raped gal & thats where the story unfolds as Dr.Grey herself lands up in the Penitentiary!! The direction & narration at this juncture is very captivating indeed as the viewer is put into a 'q'mark so as to how the Grey became a convict herself...Read ahd..

Its thru Pete(Robert Downey Jr), tht she comes to know, that she was involved in the killin of her hubby..But y?? For wt damn reason?? All these questions baffle & puzzle her all ends & the more she thinks of it, the more & more she gets involved in this..

In the asylum meanwhile, she starts to believe in Chloeys belief that the paranormal does exist as more & more she gets images of the gal she met an accident with & more the belief increases as a few acquaintances with the 'the gal ' r brilliantly visualised in the movie. Grey meets up Chloey to confirm this belief of hers as Chloey sez to Grey tht shes next!!( they never told they joined wrestling & Goldberg targettin them as next!!)

The movie becomes terribly puzzling at the moment when Dr.Greys father announces a hearing for her as soon as possible, but everytime the Sheriff comes as a hindrance making her believe her act is worth the punishment..Greys sole support is Pete, but his role is very obscured & gives or rather plays a downrite Supporting role..

So finally, one day, Grey decides to meet the dean( our good ol' captain frm the Titanic) & explains 2 him the problem shes facing...& incidently, she tumbles upon the foto of the gal whom she saw in flames that very evening before Doug was killed..Grey retorts to the dean saying, tht this is the gal whom she saw that nite, whos she???..But the dean has the last word as thts his daughter Rachel, who committed suicide 4 yrs ago......This turns out to be a defying moment for Grey as she sticks to her rational approach & baffled a lot...she decides to solve the scenario..

Next up, she gets a vision of somebody attacking Cloey with a 'woman burning in flames tattoo' embodied on it', & here she confirms tht shes not alone...Tht very moment, she escapes as the ghost helps her & off she is to her bungalow where upon she gets dark visionsof the moments when she killed Doug, but then whos the dark side, troubles her... & as she sees the foto of hers with Doug at their ranch, the ghost too is pass by & with a drop of blood fallin on tht foto..instd of panicking againshe immediately rushes to the ranch.

The editing is very crisp & gripping indeed where at moments u get a sudden fright & there are moments where u get drawn to the screen. In between, the narration is fine indeed as he director creates a fine line of balance between all the cast. The sounds are screamy & the dark layout of the movie suits the movie perfectly as one is reminded of Batman....

Movin on...as Grey sees an empty handycam box, she tries to find out more as the steps lead into the cellar, wherein, its almost a room where on a bed there are shackles attached & blood all over as if some murder took place... but, the handycam interests Grey & on seein the recorded tape, the very startling fact is revealed tht it was Doug who raped tht poor ghost..I mean Rachel & the reason is out...Rachel wntd to take revenge of her murder & thts y she entered Greys body & all tht acquaintances.

Soon after this.. investigative cops reach the place & by the time one gets a stranglehold of Grey, another raped gal is found alive in the cellar & thats when the entire news spills over the state & Grey is put in police custody...

As now shes aware of the truth tht theres someone else too...she informs our pistol Pete of acquiring more on the women in flames, but Pete too reaches a height of non-believability in her & cuts the talk. In the mean time, Grey decides to hav a word with the Sheriff regd a person who has such a tattoo on his body...Grey uses all her psychiatric knowledge to elaborate how such a person can be & the Sheriff too now questions Grey too much into this.

At this juncture, the movie becomes predictable as one get the feeling tht the Sheriff indeed is tht person, coz no one except these 2 are at centrestage now & true indeed ...the Sheriff turns out to be tht evil maniac, who with Doug had done several crimes like this earlier...Grey runs for life now, but the revengeful Rachel turns up as fire & Grey does the rest & Sheriff is shot down. The story ends here as Pete reaches when everythings over!! Poor hero...

The movie ends with Cloey & Grey parting as friends & Miranda reassuring the belief in her tht she has a special prowess to deal with the paranormal & also see them when no one else can...

Halle Berry as Dr. Grey comes out trumps in her mentally affected role, & she essays herself brilliantly as whenever Grey is confronted with Rachel, she tries to be herself, thats what makes her come to a solution in a seemingly unpredictable scenario, & thats what solves the entire mystery which also brings out the unbelievable truths.

Her scenes like the one when she hides in the waters when the police are hunting for her or when shes in the cell, questioning herself, that dialogue with Pete or when she comes out of the dream thinking back what happened...she's first rate..

Penelope Cruz has a very supporting role, but the audience is made to believe as if shes indeeds a mentally affected person...she too comes out trumps, but also, she should work on her Spanish-English accent (Woman on Top had many dubbings seniors') & should hunt for meatier roles...

contd...