Session 9
USA Films | Release Date: August 10, 2001 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
58
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews
Positive:
8
Mixed:
5
Negative:
3
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
Anderson, his superb ensemble cast and inspired cinematographer Uta Briesewitz, appeal at once to the intellect and the emotions as they build suspense and tension mercilessly. Read full review
90
Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern
Pulls you in with smooth assurance, then holds you hostage to extremely creepy developments in the most awesome haunted house since "The Shining."
90
New Times (L.A.)Luke Y. Thompson
Horror fans and those who just plain enjoy a well-told story should thank the cinematic gods. Session 9 is not only the scariest movie of the year, but also perhaps the most easy to believe since the first "Blair Witch." Read full review
80
Rolling StonePeter Travers
A spine-tingler directed with fierce finesse. Read full review
80
Mr. ShowbizMichael Atkinson
May not quite be more than the sum of its creepy parts, but as a reality-is-fear launch into workaday darkness, it clearly points toward the horror genre's best destiny.
75
New York Daily NewsJami Bernard
A natural successor to "The Blair Witch Project" in terms of its small suggestions of horror past and future. Read full review
70
L.A. WeeklyPaul Malcolm
A deft exercise in atmospheric horror and insanity. Which is why it's unfortunate that, ultimately, Anderson steps back from the brink. Read full review
67
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
A marvel of vérité nightmare atmosphere. Read full review
50
The New York TimesDave Kehr
The film, too artfully conceived to deliver many overt shocks, often feels long and aimless. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleEdward Guthmann
The story doesn't quite pay off, characters are underwritten and the surprise ending is contrived and unconvincing. Read full review
50
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
The climactic revelation is a real disappointment, humdrum rather than chilling. Read full review
50
New York PostLou Lumenick
The film isn't remotely scary. That's a shame, because it has top-notch performances by Peter Mullan and David Caruso. Read full review
40
Village VoiceAmy Taubin
The script for Session 9 is so underwritten that even such lively character actors as David Caruso, Peter Mullan, and Brendan Sexton III are left stranded. Read full review
38
Boston GlobeJay Carr
You couldn't ask for a better setting for a horror movie. What you could ask for is a better script.
30
VarietyRobert Koehler
Little more than an overworked exercise in jostling red herrings, and not particularly fresh herrings at that. Read full review
30
SlateDavid Edelstein
The final illuminations (people have demons, a mind is a terrible thing to lose) are a poor return on nearly two hours of ear-buckling, eye-stabbing incoherence. Read full review
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