Hypnotic (2021)

Hypnotic (2021)

There have already been several! There was the 2002 Hypnotic and the 2013 one. Then there were also movie titles like Palimpsest – A Hypnotic Mystery, but if I start going down that path, I’ll never finish this review!

It seems to me that none of these movies were very successful. At least, not as successful as they deserved to be. Not even this one! That’s pretty harsh, because it’s far from being that bad.

One unpleasant thing is clearly the fact that hypnosis is already struggling to gain enough traction to make its mark in our society, but a movie like this capitalizes on the ambiguities to scare skeptics and other rationalists even more. Sure, the movie is exaggerated, but the gullible will probably believe it.

Kate Siegel is an excellent actress, and for her alone—and the fact that the film rests on her shoulders and she manages to carry it perfectly—this movie is worth watching. She’s actually the spitting image of Angelina Jolie!

But despite the numerous criticisms of “The Open House,” their first film for Netflix, Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote were back on the platform with a new film. However, unlike the first time, they didn’t direct their own screenplay. This time, the screenplay is by Richard D’Ovidio, who also wrote the mediocre “The Forger” and the highly effective “The Call.”

“Hypnotic” is a film about mental manipulation through hypnosis, featuring a vulnerable woman who falls into the clutches of her dangerous hypnotherapist. It’s a promising premise that stands on its own, though it isn’t fully explored—particularly when it comes to the doctor’s authority and what he’s capable of making his patients do. While it feels like a TV movie—with some implausible twists and a plot that’s predictable from the very first minutes—it’s still a very likable film and quite enjoyable to watch. At least for me!

Good screenplay, no dull moments: a film that makes you want to watch it all the way through! Maybe a bit predictable toward the end, but there are plenty of plot twists, and one very interesting theme it explores is mind control.

With plenty of adrenaline, I liked the film’s concept—no nudity, no sex scenes, and no unbearable extreme violence! That’s something to be appreciated and rare these days. And I had a great time. That’s all I need! It’s not excellent, but I’m still very surprised to see such overwhelmingly negative reviews for an original film that’s very well acted and keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish! I’ve seen movies that got really high ratings—considered 4-star films—that were way worse than this!