Film Review: Gothika (2003)

In the realm of horror films, B-production is the norm, with low budgets and lesser-known names allowing for creative freedom. However, when a horror film boasts a high budget, big-name stars, and notable talent both behind and in front of the camera, it often attracts heightened scrutiny from critics, who are likely to give it a much harsher treatment than a lower-profile project would receive. Gothika, the 2003 film directed by Matthieu Kassovitz, serves as an example of this phenomenon.

The film follows the story of Dr. Miranda Grey, a respected psychiatrist played by Halle Berry, who finds herself entangled in a nightmarish situation after a car accident. She wakes up in the same mental institution where she once worked, realising that she is treated as patient, accused of murdering her husband Dr. Douglas Grey (played by Charles S. Dutton). She can’t remember the incident and her claims are dismissed by colleague and friend, Dr. Pete Graham (played by Robert Downey Jr.). she cannot remember committing, Soon she begins to be plagued by visions and, after a while, realises that those visions might give a clue what really happened.

Gothika was made by Dark Castle Entertainment, a film production company founded a few years earlier with the intention of making irreverent, slightly self-parodic horror films in the style of 1950s and 1960s exploitation cinema. Gothika was its fourth and, by that time, the most ambitious film, with a bigger budget and a significantly more serious tone, which placed it closer to supernatural thriller than "pure horror" genre territory. The ambition of the producers, which included such names as Joel Silver and Robert Zemeckis, can be seen in the casting of Halle Berry, an Oscar-winning actress at the zenith of her stardom in the lead role. She is accompanied by other big stars like Robert Downey Jr. and Penelope Cruz in the role of a mental patient. Another interesting choice was giving the directorial helm to Matthieu Kassovitz, a French actor and director, for whom Gothika was his Hollywood debut. The cinematography was provided by Matthew Libatique, who would later gain fame as a collaborator of Darren Aronofsky. "Behind the Blue Eyes", Limp Bizkit's cover of The Who song that plays in the end credits, became a big hit and contributed to the film's box office.

Despite all these great talents, Gothika is a rather disappointing film. Most of the reasons can be found in Sebastian Gutierrez's script that wastes what could have been an intriguing premise. The film begins promisingly, with the protagonist having her entire life torn upside down and forced to question her own sanity. The film seems to toy with different perspectives, having Miranda's experiences at the hands of Dr. Graham be a reflection on her own treatment of patients whose fantastic stories she doesn't believe in. Soon, however, the film goes into a slightly conventional route. Any doubt about Miranda being insane is removed, and she, as a traditional protagonist, must reveal the truth. Unfortunately, the supernatural element seems to be a cliché, and even more cliché is the additional twist ending that turns this film into a disappointment. Before the audience reaches that point, Kassovitz uses a disjointed narrative with chief jump scares and other horror genre tropes.

Gothika was mercilessly panned by critics, but, despite this, it had an impressive box office result, mainly due to Berry's stellar presence. The actress, to her credit, plays the role competently, although her efforts can't elevate this film above mediocrity. However, the success of Gothika represented a high point not only for Berry, who would a year later crash and burn with Catwoman, but also for Kassovitz, who used the clout gained by this film to indulge in his own passion project of Babylon A.D., which would become another disaster.

RATING: 4/10 (+)

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