The Uninvited (2009)

   

Directed by: The Guard Brothers

Written by: Craig Rosenberg, Doug Miro & Carlo Bernard

Starring:

Emily Browning .... Anna
Arielle Kebbel .... Alex
David Strathairn .... Steven
Elizabeth Banks .... Rachel


Release Date:
Theatrical: January 30, 2009

*Images courtesy at: www.outnow.ch

 

Rating:

 

After a death of a mother caught in a fire a troubled girl named Anna (Emily Browning) was sent to a mental institution after trying to cut her wrists and seems to be fully cured as the time passed on.
She is welcomed by her sister Alex (Arielle Kebbel) who sticks with her to the good and bad and is introduced by her father's soon to be bride Rachel (Elizabeth Banks).
Then later on she is haunted by ghostly images including her dead Mom who tells her that Rachel has some deadly secrets which makes things very complicated for poor Anna as she and Alex tries to find some way on saving their own skin from the clutches of their soon to be step mom.

 

A nice beginning of the plot in which we have a voice over with the lead character Anna narrating some flashback sequences in which there's some good intense moments with her sick mother lying in bed not looking too good as well as the house being on fire in which this all looked truly disturbing. This piece was well done and then we get into Anna in a ward talking to her counsellor in which there's good camera shots on this and the conversations flow really well looking good and serious. It was truly convincing by what we spot here.
Also there's a good situation with Anna getting ready to leave the asylum with a creepy patient speaking darkly towards her blocking her way which adds a nice mysterious and intimidating touch to the story here. Definetely grabs your attention a great deal and very well done.
Nice correspondence with Anna and her sister Alex in which things look pleasant and then turning into a dysfunctional argument as this looked quite powerful and making you wonder what will come out of this a great deal.
A nice shot on Anna in bed acting frightened as this looked perfectly dark as well as a hand about to reach up from her bed showing a perfect creepy touch to anyone who was afraid of the dark and imagining that this could happen in your scariest imagination here.
Some nice shots on Anna and Alex lying on a pier near the water as well as having a pleasant conversation which looked truly relaxing to spot all of this.
Also a great dark shot on Anna getting scared near a corner with a ghostly figure hovering over her as this had a perfect haunting type of feel to everything along with a good moment on Alex talking to her and then Anna telling her sister about the incident on her mother being burned to death was no accident and who did it which looked perfectly intense while we spot this. Again making the storyline look mysterious and weird but in a perfect way here.
We even have an interesting moment on the two of them sitting in a bathtub with no water talking about what to do here as well as spotting some dissecting knives belonging to their father's girlfriend Rachel which was another perfect touch to the creepy story here.
Also we spot an interesting conversation with Rachel focusing on Anna in a diner trying to seriously stress something which had a nice still feel to all of this as well as a good shot on a creepy figure staring near them as this can psych you out while spotting this.
Also there's a good serious situation on Anna trying to talk to the delivery boy Matt on what the plan is in order to put a stop to what she suspects is the killer as well as Rachel later on telling him they don't need to do any more deliveries as she will be in charge which makes things seem alot creepier wondering what will happen later on in the story and having a creepy feeling that she heard their conversations. This was perfectly put in.
Also a nice moment when Matt climbs through Anna's window and talking to her suddenly we see him changing with his back growing and changing which looked perfectly twisted and making you wonder as to how this is all happening here. Also a good moment with Anna running out and panicking in the hallways making everything here done in a great horror taste here.
A nice moment with Rachel nicely talking to Anna as well as putting a beaded necklace on her and Anna demanding to her on who she really is changing the nice mood as well as a good close up camera shot on Rachel holding onto the neckalce around Anna wondering if she will choke her as this looked still and suspenseful while spotting this.
Also in a another moment there's a good moment when something drops and rolls underneath a stove and she reaches to grab it there's a perfect shot on this making you quiver that something will come out and leap and boy does this ever make you jump. This for sure makes you wonder as to what this was all about.
There's even a perfect moment when Rachel tries to hand her the necklace again and she slowly comes up to her giving you a quivvering feeling that she will attack. Boy do things look intense after what we spot here as well as a moment when Rachel tries to inject a needle in her arm and you keep watching wondering if she will manage to get away from this.
Also there's a great chasing moment when Anna locks herself in her room and Rachel is punding and screaming insanely to let her in as this is a good traditional moment in a horror flick with the killer doing this. It works every time including with this situation.
While we keep watching things look more creepy involving these character's as well as dicovering a new kind of twist here making you think "What the hell????" Also the ghostly situations and other weird elements truly explain itself later on so we really get it big time.
Bottom line is that this is a twisted but a perfectly well done mysterious horror flick that works on it's own big time making every scene of this one worth while. If Hollywood is running out of ideas to make a good horror flick then they need to see this one as it can become totally inspirational a great deal here.

The acting is in good shape in which we have lead actress Emily Browning (Anna) seenmed to know her stuff quite well portraying a deceivingly innocent type while having a discussion in her first scene making this looked good and serious. Also does a perfect job by acting frightened and freaking out as well as showing some good lung power too. Also shows extreme energy when she acts anxious on what she saw which also looked pretty impressive. What she did perfectly though is crying on set which makes you wonder if she was realistically doing this. Shows a good firm attitude and serious while confronting someone just getting into this and studying very hard to make it look good too. Plus shows good adrenaline while trying to struggle getting away during some terrifying moments bringing the energy up high.
Arielle Kebbel (Alex) showed alot of good spunk in her part of the film coming across pretty convincing as an outgoing type as well as someone who seems bright too. Plus does a good job showing a stuck up and aggressive as well in certain spots. Plus knew her stuff while acting drunk in another scene. She focused well when she plans a situation as well as showing some good concerns into what she does. There's a scene where she acts drugged as she really gets into this by acting out of it. Plus does a good job with her heavy breathing and acting disturbed after what she does in a deadly incident as she comes across as convincingly mysterious.
David Strathairn (Steven) seemed to pull off his part as a serious family man in which he shows a good troubled attitude on the disturbed situations. He also shows a good laid back type of attitude too. Does well with a good upsetting reaction to what has happened and shows a nice disturbed expression while doing all of this. He seems to pull off this part in an okay type of fashion.
Elizabeth Banks
(Rachel) stole the show in her performance here in which she came across as someone who was deceivingly caring and warm plus had the nice type of looks to her which really showed off in the film as someone who seems harmless and then does a good job with her raging behavior as well as getting short and blunt with her wicked behavior. This showed perfect timing here. She also knew on how to act psychotically mad when an accident happens in a kitchen by holding a sharp object in which was good and hyped up. Plus does well with her soft speakin in one scene as well as acting good and forceful later on. Plus does great with her screaming rage too. She was a worthy character actress and showing a perfect vesatality here.

A bloodied body is exposed.

Alot of good smooth violin music was played as well as sad types of sounds which works in well for when the depressing moments were needed. Plus alot of intense screeching sounds for when the terrors start to occur. We also hear some good low sounds as well as the odd light piano and chiming music too. All of this was wonderfully composed by Christopher Young.

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