A psychologist named Miranda Grey (Halle Berry) is dealing with an inmate named Chloe Sava (Penelope Cruz) at the Woodward Penintiary for Women as Chloe tries to tell her that she is not insane with what happened to her and acts very menacing about it.
Then one day while she is driving home after work she swerves to get out of the way almost hitting someone who happens to be a ghost and then she wakes up in the penintiary becoming an inmate herself as she is told by one of the workers named Pete Graham (Robert Downey Jr.) that she killed her husband who works there as well named Dr. Douglas Grey (Charles S. Dutton) as Miranda loses her sanity trying to prove her innocence.
She keeps encountering the ghost as she must try to find out what's behind all of this madness even if it means trying to escape the penintiary as she keeps being haunted by this figure.

The story offers alot of twists and turns with this shocker. Terrific camera shots between Miranda Grey and Chloe Sava during the beginning of this movie in a room.
Their discussions looked well concentrated as the flows between them looked natural as well as spotting Chloe looking disturbed throughout all this.
The silence breaks big time when this disturbed patient goes out in a rage as this looked perfectly intense and powerful. For sure this moment is a nice star off to what we will see unravel throughout this flick..

There's a nice conversation between Miranda and Dr. Douglas Grey in an office room as it seemed like they were discussing business with one another on what happened earlier. This scene was for sure a teaser for later on revealing that they're a marrued couple. This moment looked believably happy.

Good dark shot on Miranda swimming laps in a swimming pool with lightning flashing. This scene looked highly energetic making you watch for more situations to unravel here.

Miranda is driving home from work and is briefly stopped in which some of the police were telling her that some accidents have occured in which this left an impression on some possible terrors will unravel later on.
While she continues to drive along the long road things seem too silent along with a perfect shot on a ghost standing in the middle of the road and Miranda suddenly freaking out driving and swerving as it looked incredibly suspenseful.
A good approach by her going toward this ghost and then this spirit going wild and crazy. This moment was carefully paced in which it would make you watch cautiously and carefully wondering if this moment will scare the witts out of you.

Before you know it she's a mental patient in her ward as the tables are totally turned big time and she acts crazy there. THis for sure made things mysterious wondering as to how she got there.
What's even crazier is when she gets the devastating news on her husband as well as being framed for all this. It made me want to watch for more to find out the missing clues as to how this happened.

Good scene between Chloe approaching Miranda and telling her that she should be frightened of what's going on as the makers made that moment cold like.It looked powerfully done.

Nice quick shots on Miranda almost tripping out during a shower scene with images of the ghost appearing. All of this would psych you out big time which looked sharply well done. It seemed like quite a necessary scene indeed. Very haunting like.

There are good camera shots circling around Miranda being pitted against mainly Sheriff Ryan. This for sure looked highly intense and bizarre with people coming down on her and acting somewhat abusive. Another nice mysterious moment.

A perfect tense moment with the ghost throwing Miranda around with lots of body slamming and intensity. Shows a ton of fast paced action.

Nice moments on Miranda running away especially hiding in a pool as it looks good when she tries to hold her breath as much as she can.
It leaves a nice tension to anyone who watches it wondering how anyone can hold their breath for so long. Makes you wonder if she will manage to get away or not.

When she tries to escape in a vehicle, things are so fast while watching this in which she just dodges a truck and so fourth which made me wonder if she will get away. More intense moments happen when she is still speeding away.

Miranda enters a house and then she spots a hallucination on her by raising an axe with a scream and wide eyes along with Dr. Douglas Grey screaming and crying for mercy. For anyone who likes haunted house flicks with a different twist will love this scene for sure.

There is a good conversation between Miranda and Phil Parsons in his office when she explains who she saw and he does well with his serious emotions when he reacts to all of this.
Of course this person acts closed minded and a bit arrogant as I hot an impression that he will behave this way later on. This scene looked good and solid.

A nice silent discussion between Miranda and Douglas in a quiet room as she tries to explain what is going on. This moment offers a nice change into one another but keep watching as this will definitely change in a surprised fashion just like the snap of anyone's finger. The rage happens big time.

Good dark shots on Douglas trying to look around and shooting his gun. The terror and action really jacks up with all this happening along with the others trying to escape which includes the ghosts helping and so fourth.

Bottom line: A very nicely twisted supernatural horror flick picturing a total sane character like Miranda Grey helping patients losing her sanity after discovering that she is a patient after waking up in her workplace. You really wonder why this is all happening and the pieces all come together in the end as there's all sorts of twists and turns to this story. It's dark, ghostly and a touch of psychological moments too as you think to yourself are the people working at the asylum possessed as well to how they treat poor Grey as it really boggles your mind.

The acting is very good with a strong cast mainly performed by Halle Berry (Miranda Grey) as a doctor turned mental patient as she has a great attitude acting normal and calm to someone paranoid and insane wondering why she was put away. She's great by snapping when she discovers that she's a patient in the asylum She acts wild and crazy offering a nice versatile performance big time. There's a nice aggressive scream from her asking a spirit what she wants from her. She brought this all out. Was powerful with her struggling behavior in other spots.

Robert Downey Jr. (Pete Graham) does a fine job as well as a serious one working at the asylum showing good stern reactions to his part in the film and trying to keep it together. Comes across well when acting closed minded and a bit arrogant too. Yes he shows this all off very well.

Charles S. Dutton (Dr. Douglas Grey) was really likeable with his role as the nice sympathetic doctor in the film. He does well in another scene by suddenly going mad and trying to attack someone else. Definitely does well screaming in pain and fear too.

John Carroll Lynch (Sheriff Ryan) was marvellous with his role as an abusive sheriff making his aggressions really intimidating to the point you'd feel like hitting him. He does well acting nasty, aggressive and demanding towards others. In another parts of his performance does a great job by acting calm and reasonable and then snapping. Yes he was a great supporting character actor.

Bernard Hill (Phil Parsons) had a good serious attitude to his role in the flick with his words coming across quite nicely. He knew on how to be calm within a situation and studied this part in a fair fashion.

Penelope Cruz (Chloe Sava) played a great mental patient with her nice icy words and raging intensity. Great reactions on her when she goes berserk. Had the right crazed look and appeal. Also shows off a good calm and happy attitude towards the end of the film.

Bronwen Mantel (Irene) I had to mention in which she had one of the most effective supporting roles playing a somewhat cold blooded and forceful nurse in the asylum. Does well with her speaking in which she sounds very untrustworthy. Not a name actress but can be fondly remembered for her part as she brought it to life.

Brief butt shots on woman taking a shower.

Blood letters is scrawled on a woman's wrist saying Not Alone

John Ottman composes the stillness with the great classical soundings along with the sharp and screechy violin playing for when the terror occurs. He also composes some nice effective mellow sounds especially for the beginning of the movie which works in a good solid fashion. Also what good in a horror flick is there's the odd screeching sounds which I have no criticism for. Rumblings here and there which adds more touches for the intense scene's.

Chloe: You have no idea how it feels not to be trusted.
Miranda: You've got to trust me too, Chloe
Chloe: You can't trust someone who thinks you're crazy.

Miranda: I need you to tell me who did this to you? Tell me his name, Chloe. Chloe, tell me. Tell me anything. Tell me.
Chloe: I'll tell you one thing: He can have my body, but he will never have my soul. Never. The devil.

Dr. Douglas Grey: [handing a Miranda a glass of water] Throw it on the mirror. This is what she sees now.
Miranda: A distorted image of herself.
Dr. Douglas Grey: Who are you in all this?
Miranda: I'm the mirror.
Dr. Douglas Grey: You are the mirror.
Miranda: If I'm the mirror and she's the image... then who are you?
Dr. Douglas Grey: I can see both of you... so I'm God. Or just an overworked hospital beaurocrat.
Miranda: "God" is good.
Dr. Douglas Grey: Always remember, the ability to repress... is actually a vital survival tool. Without it... Chloe might not have survived.

Miranda: [to the girl on the bridge] Are you okay? Are you okay? Hey! Oh, my God. Okay. Okay. Okay. I'm a Doctor. I'm a Doctor. I'm gonna take you to the hospital. I'm a Doctor, honey. I'm gonna help you, okay? You're gonna be okay. I'm gonna help you, okay?

Pete: Miranda... Doug is dead. You killed him.
Miranda: [screaming] No! No! No!

Pete: You said no shock treatment.
Sheriff Ryan: Shock treatment? You want to see some shock treatment? Here's some shock treatment.
[gets some photos of Doug's mutilated body]
Pete: Stop it!
Teddy Howard: What are you doing?
Pete: Why would you take these out? Miranda, don't look at them! Don't look at them!
Sheriff Ryan: I had to pick him up off the floor, Miranda. In pieces!

Chloe: Are you scared?
Miranda: ...No.
Chloe: You should be.

Chloe: You are not a Doctor in here. And even if you the tell the truth... no one will listen. You know why? Because you're crazy. And the more you try to prove them wrong, the crazier you'll appear. You are invisible now. Can you feel it?

Irene: Come on, honey, time to wash away your sins.

Miranda: I'm not deluded, Pete, I'm possessed.
Pete: I don't believe in ghosts.
Miranda: Neither do I, but they believe in me.

Miranda: [picking up a picture of Rachel Parsons] Who is this? Who is this girl?
Phil Parsons: That's my daughter, Rachel.
Miranda: No, no, no. This is the girl that I saw at the bridge. This is the girl.
Phil Parsons: No, Miranda, no.
Miranda: How is she? Where is she?
Phil Parsons: It's impossible.
Miranda: This is the girl I've been seeing. This girl, right here.
Phil Parsons: She's dead. Rachel died four years ago.

Sheriff Ryan: Well you're right. I do fit the profile. Long-time friend of Doug's, access to the prison. I never did get a kick out of torturing animals, though.

[last lines]
Miranda: No!