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6

TryASummersaultFeb 5, 2016

While you go into this thinking it's something like a horror revolving around satanic rituals, it turns into something way more psychological towards the end that leaves it a bit scattered and incomplete. It has some good and bad moments butWhile you go into this thinking it's something like a horror revolving around satanic rituals, it turns into something way more psychological towards the end that leaves it a bit scattered and incomplete. It has some good and bad moments but overall just a decent thriller mystery.… Expand

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

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3

CrimAug 18, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. While "based on real events" doesn't come with any expectations for anyone but the most naive and hopeful, I fell into this trap due the fact that this is more than an event; it's a phenomenon that was plenty researched and written about, with larger implications for psychology (regression therapy was fortunately a fad, but false memories are human, forever), counseling, and good practices, and there is something to be said about the vulnerability of society when panic can spread out for years and be taken seriously on a professional level, even with a lack of objective evidence. In the year of Concussion, Spotlight, The Experimenter, The Standford Experiment and so on, I expected this movie to be more of the same ilk. It is not, but it didn't have the good will to firmly, explicitly step away from it either.

As the events unfold, the accusations get wider and wilder and there are more shots of mass hysteria on the media, it seems that what the movie is going for is a modern day The Crucible. For awhile, this stands. Emma Watson is a one-note whispering waif, all tears and broken heart, Ethan Hawke is the agnostic turned raging believer, the psychologist does his regression shtick in good faith, and the suspects pile up. But this is mostly a set up, a crescendo, and when the movie has to really go somewhere with it, it embarrassingly falls apart.

To get straight to the point, then come back to the smaller things, to tell a story like this, there could have been a focus on the big picture (the real life satanic hysteria of the time, how regression therapy made it possible, how it was finally debunked) or just on the particular case. Sadly for "Regression", you need good script and characterization for the second, most of all a realistic progression, and some depth. Emma Watson's part is ok, but it is very small - she is believable in everything she does, keeping it in minor key all the way till the end. However, Ethan Hawke's detective is a series of missteps - not his acting, which follows the script and direction. Everything the detective goes through, thinks and says is guided by the heavy hand of the plot, cliched writing, and is equally broadly acted. Some things grate more than others, but more on this later. Similarly, when some supporting character needs to pop in just to say some line to indicate that They Believe Now, the movie goes precisely for the laid back skeptic; this kind of economy - one character is enough because "yes, even him" - works only a superficial level, and is transparent and in poor form.

Secondly, the movie takes a turn towards horror, with the detective "seeing" the narrated events, then having nightmares, and with one character having hallucinations. Thankfully, the potential turn into actual supernatural happenings does not occur (it would have been genuinely awful, from an ethical point of view too), so it seems like this would be a good thing, making the movie more engaging for a broader audience... Yeah, no. For one thing, Ethan Hawke seeing the scenes only makes it more apparent that a police investigation would disprove them (this isn't the 50s, there were forensics), then the nightmares are repeated as a flashback, which is stupid, and also it's not like we forgot them in the 10 minutes since we saw them.

Thirdly, the detective realizes one of the faces in his nightmare was a drawing from an ad, and from this infers an entire critique towards regression therapy, which he rants to the psychologist, who acts like he hadn't ever heard it before! The whole scene is unrealistic and pointless, and included for lip service to being about the larger issue instead of a random false accusation in a small town. It is incredibly tone deaf and could have been handled much better: someone bringing up an article with objections to regression therapy, one of the FBI reports consulting another expert, any way to introduce a professional opinion instead of making it seem like (1) it was so easy to see the faults of the procedure, regression itself, and the contribution of the police investigators and the media, and (2) despite this fact, there was no wide official controversy.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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4

JLuis_001Sep 6, 2017

Honestly, Regression is a film that disappointed me completely, it was a thriller that promised exciting things and ended up delivering anything, the film is not the mess that critics said it was, at least personally I do not see it, but inHonestly, Regression is a film that disappointed me completely, it was a thriller that promised exciting things and ended up delivering anything, the film is not the mess that critics said it was, at least personally I do not see it, but in the overall it does owes us quality, especially by the name of its director and the two main actors.

Shame on you Amenabar!!… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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7

phj1986Feb 22, 2016

Well made movie. Quite suspenseful at times. Overall quite good; disappointed with the poor reviews. This was a Good movie. Interesting to say the least. I hope more people see it.

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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3

EpicLadySpongeMay 10, 2016

Regression usually spends its time finding nothing in the pond. (No fish, no love, no service). That's the rules of being in the pond and Regression doesn't have service whatsoever.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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0

hscproteinApr 25, 2016

I can't believe The Weinstein would pay for such a bad movie story. Not a horror, not a thriller, not even a drop of suspense. The writer simply wants to capture that regression analysis is an unproven interviewing technique and shouldn't beI can't believe The Weinstein would pay for such a bad movie story. Not a horror, not a thriller, not even a drop of suspense. The writer simply wants to capture that regression analysis is an unproven interviewing technique and shouldn't be used. Thats all!… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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4

rpehFeb 11, 2016

It's not a horror story, although the trailer tries to paint it as one. It's not really a mystery either. You can't even call it a thriller, because it's a long way from thrilling. Emma Watson and David Thewlis turn in good performances, andIt's not a horror story, although the trailer tries to paint it as one. It's not really a mystery either. You can't even call it a thriller, because it's a long way from thrilling. Emma Watson and David Thewlis turn in good performances, and Ethan Hawke isn't bad either, but not even they can elevate this from being 100 minutes of pretty boring and unremarkable stuff.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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2

WoopyaApr 3, 2016

This movie is a mess. I am actually a fan of Ethan Hawke, as well as many of the movie's cast. However, they didnt work in their respective roles largely because those roles were so poorly written. However, that isnt always the case. EmmaThis movie is a mess. I am actually a fan of Ethan Hawke, as well as many of the movie's cast. However, they didnt work in their respective roles largely because those roles were so poorly written. However, that isnt always the case. Emma Watson is smart and pretty, but she cannot act even in a pretty simple role like this 1. She lets her English accent out a couple times, and it really hurts those scenes where we are supposed to see her as a victim. We keep hearing various characters allude to the various incoming threats. "now they will kill you too" or "if I say anything they will kill me!" Then we see characters acting all afraid without explaining what we are supposed to be afraid of. Vague faces and old people looking at you are not scary, yet they scare a supposed tough guys.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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7

LeZeeMay 14, 2016

When the case needs a physical evidence, but it can't reach to get one.

Well, it is an investigation theme, something like the Oscar winner 'Spotlight'. After a teen girl Angela was reported of the sexual abuse, a detective named BruceWhen the case needs a physical evidence, but it can't reach to get one.

Well, it is an investigation theme, something like the Oscar winner 'Spotlight'. After a teen girl Angela was reported of the sexual abuse, a detective named Bruce takes a special interest in solving the case. With the help of a psychologist, lots of ugly truth comes out. But the lack of the solid evidence makes the case slowly slip away from his hands. While his desperate effort to find whoever behind it, it only affect more Angela and her family. So how the story end is told with a twist in the third act.

It was inspired by the real events of the late 80s. About the rise of the Satanic culture when panic was among the peoples of the United States. One of the best investigative films, with well developed mysteries around the plot. I found hard to predict, especially the twist was simple, but unexpected. Ms Watson was okay, but Ethan Hawke was excellent. From an awesome filmmaker, another wonderful film, yet not anywhere near to his other great works.

Whenever a film based on the real, especially about crimes reveals the truth, we the people believe it and pour our supports to the victim. In that perspective, this film tests our capability to understand between the good and bad. Sometimes the things are not what it is supposed to be because of the overlook. Such theme was this that neatly narrated on the screen.

I know this is not a masterpiece, but I don't understand why it is very underrated. This is actually a better psychological-thriller you would find in the recent time. Forget what the critics say, just give it a try, obviously it is slow, but in the end you would find it worth, at least most of you.

7/10… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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6

RalfbergsAug 25, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Decent movie which keeps you guessing, even though at some point it is quite predictable who is the real villain there. Still, the suspense was ok, even though at some points story gets a bit weird and boring, but besides that the movie is decent… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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4

RobBob99Jul 31, 2016

Director Alejandro Amenábar tries to recreate the style of the classic neo-noir thrillers as seen in the older days of Hollywood. While I appeciate the old fashioned approach to this story, it doesn't really work all that well. While he doesDirector Alejandro Amenábar tries to recreate the style of the classic neo-noir thrillers as seen in the older days of Hollywood. While I appeciate the old fashioned approach to this story, it doesn't really work all that well. While he does build some good atmosphere at times and gets a very good Ethan Hawke performance, the whole film is a mess from the lack of character development, compelling dialogue and an often slow burn pace. Regression's ending: Possibly the worst of any movie of 2016 so far.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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3

AubreyRFeb 10, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Anyone with half a brain will find it very difficult to suspend their disbelief watching this movie. Almost nobody in this film behaves in a rational way. Cops don't behave like cops, and detectives jump to premature conclusions which they explicitly base on "not a shred of evidence." Very hard to watch, especially if you are skeptically minded (in the proper sense, as in basing your beliefs on evidence). The plot is contrived and the directing is sub-par (we know these actors can do it, but performances fall flat). I almost turned it off on multiple occasions. The only time when any of the characters actually do anything with believable motivation is at the very end of the movie, when they finally realize that they are idiots and everything they thought all along was just hasty generalization with a lot of jumping to conclusions. If you are non-skeptical minded (e.g. the type who likes to believe in conspiracies or other nonsense which has no basis in fact or evidence), then this movie is probably a good one for you.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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7

GinaKMay 16, 2016

I certainly didn’t think this film deserved the negative critical reviews that it received. True, it was conventional, but it was also very well acted and I found it very unsettling – I really believed that dark powers were at work, whichI certainly didn’t think this film deserved the negative critical reviews that it received. True, it was conventional, but it was also very well acted and I found it very unsettling – I really believed that dark powers were at work, which gave the film a truly nightmarish quality for me (and I don’t mean that tongue in cheek). If you are a fan of Ethan Hawke or a fan of horror films or both, this film is well worth your time.… Expand