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What Lies Beneath

What Lies Beneath

List Price: $12.99
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Unfortunately, I couldn't chose six stars
Review: Forget what anyone else says....this film is without doubt a stunning masterpiece from the eerie tone of the opening credits, to the frantic ending which sees a twist that is anything but predictable.

Harrison Ford delivers what can only be described as a masterful performance, as he somehow manages to achieve credibility both as the doting husband and as the crazed killer......yet this is merely what we have come to expect from his shere brilliance.

Meanwhile, Michelle Pheiffer manages to present herself with an incredible amount of innocence whilst regaining some of that stunning sensualism she had in her role as the Catwoman in "Batman Returns".

Ok, so it isn't exactly a breakthrough in the horror/suspense genre.....but is this not what film and indeed genre are all about???

Forget any negative feedback...anyone who didn't enjoy this film clearly needs to watch it again more carefully (or book an appointment with their local GP!!!!)

This movie is shere brilliance from the sophisticated direction through the magnificent acting..........no movie fan should be without this one........BUY IT NOW!!!!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Stunning theatrical masterpiece!
Review: Anyone who says that this is a poor film must have something severely wrong with them!! OK, so it has a familiar format to all the other suspense films that have ever been created...but that's the essence of movie theatre and indeed the very nature of 'genre'. And still despite being in many ways very familiar, it's unforeseeable twist at the end makes this a class above the rest.

Ford's performance is stunning as he achieves feasibility both as the doting husband and the crazed killer, and despite one piece of rather unconvincing acting as she confronts who she believes to be a murderer, Michelle Phiefer also delivers an intelligent performance as his wife.

With scares a plenty and a sophisticated slant on the guidelines of this particular genre, "What Lies Beneath" is definitely one for the collection of any true movie lover!!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Just about perfect -- until the ending...
Review: Robert Zemeckis used his time waiting for Tom Hanks to lose weight and grow a beard during the filming of 'Cast Away' to direct 'What Lies Beneath' a chilling thriller that almost, ALMOST could be considered a literal classic, if not for the cheesey ending. Who could watch the scene where Michelle Pfieffer morphed into the 'other woman' right before our eyes and NOT find the hairs on the nape of your neck standing at attention? I don't think that the plot was clearly original, however it was the way in which it was filmed and acted which makes this movie stand out among the crowd of 'supernatural thrillers' which have flooded the theaters in the past few years. I very much enjoyed the pacing of the movie and Zemeckis sure knows how to build the tension to a head. I pretty much enjoyed everything about this movie -- except the VERY weak and contrived way it ended. When Harrison Ford is underwater and is attacked by a semi-rotting corpse, that is where this movie went from being great to a step above so-so. I hate to say it, but that is pretty much the ONLY gripe I have about this otherwise superior thriller.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Half a good film
Review: I enjoyed the first part of this movie, which featured a creepy setup. Unfortunately, the lame story kicked in and I lost interest. I won't go into some of the plot points, but you could drive a truck convoy through them. The DVD picture didn't even look as good the second hour as it did the first, probably because of more night shots. I did like the sound though. That was the only aspect of the film that stayed solid throughout the long two-plus hours. If you want a film like this, stick to "The Sixth Sense."

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A good Horror Movie leaves you mystified, not confused.
Review: First of all-the acting was fantastic, I am no long time fan of harrison ford, but he lived up to his reputation in this movie. The story line was obviously well thought out and also well written, though a bit twisty at times and needed further explaination. Scary as this movie was, the actual "villian" in the movie, (the young girl haunting Michelle pfeiffer) is not scary enough herself. Often a ghost, monster, spirt, devil, or whatever evil character in the movie is, makes you terrifyed of them in general. What lies beneath did not accomplish this.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Mystery, Murder and the Supernatural
Review: Shot at a time when Tom Hanks was busy losing about 50 lbs. for his epic "Survivor" rip-off "Castaway", Robert Zemeckis decided to shoot a little ghost story called "What Lies Beneath", a paranormal yarn about a woman who discovers there is more to history than just pictures in a frame. WLB echoes of previous ghost stories such as "The Sixth Sense" and "Stir of Echoes", but like "The Blair Witch Project" relies more on what the imagination can conjure rather than flat-out showing you any frightening phantoms. For what could be more terrifying than what we as an audience are capable of conjuring in the darkest recesses of our minds?

Michelle Pfeiffer stars as Claire Spencer, a woman who along with her husband (Ford) is dealing with being an empty nester (her daughter has just left home for college). With the house all to themselves, Claire is left with a lot of time on her hands to play with the family dog, reminisce on her cello and uncover a long-kept mystery. The intrigue begins with a misleading scheme involving her next-door neighbor and her allegedly abusive husband. This is a clever distraction to what really is going on behind closed doors, but of course I won't spoil it for anyone. Soon after this, Claire begins experiencing random icy drafts floating around the house and doors opening by themselves before she has a chance to touch the knobs. With a picture frame that is repeatedly knocked off the shelf and a stereo that spontaneously screams static, Claire becomes convinced that an otherworldly presence is trying desperately to communicate with her. Terrified of its presence but suddenly made curious by an unearthed clue, she strives to become an essential medium and delves into the world of necromancy and the supernatural.

Many of the visual effects done in WLB are truly incredible and are carried out with such subtlety that they are almost subliminal. A remarkably eerie moment in the film is when Claire is fishing a ball out of the lake behind her house and suddenly spots a pallid and wraithlike silhouette of a woman under the waves. The effect is done with such delicacy that even the audience is squinting long after the apparition has disappeared.

Pfeiffer is extremely absorbed in her role, so engrossed in fact that one would suspect she herself is a firm believer in the supernatural. In that respect, she is highly entertaining and believable as Claire. Harrison Ford, on the other hand, could use a little pep (at least until the climax of the movie, you'll enjoy him then). Of course, the low-key nature of his character is done for specific reasons and it works out well in the end. Diana Scarwid makes good use of her minute role as Claire's friend Jody. James Remar is hardly recognizable as Warren Feur, the shady next-door neighbor and supermodel Amber Valetta makes startling appearances as the restless spirit that haunts Claire's home.

Even thought "What Lies Beneath" borrows theme from other well-known paranormal thrillers, it sets itself apart from the rest with a "spirited" cast and clever visual effects. Rent it on a lone and rainy night - you'll feel its power...and don't forget to look over your shoulder...

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: I guess this movie was okay
Review: This movie depends on the on-looker. I'm the kind of person that likes action and violece. If your like me, you probably won't like it that much. If your afraid of scary movies it will scare you out the theater. This movie is about love and mystery in the beginning, and in the end, blood, ghost, bodies, the living dead, violence, and loud, booming, surprising music to scare you. I only recomend this movie for a person that likes mysetery, horror, and romance.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good movie
Review: This is a good movie. It keeps your attention the whole time. Sure there were some slow times, but overall it will keep your attention. I would recommend this movie to anyone.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Love It!
Review: Michelle Pheiffer and Harrison Ford are the best this movie has so many layers.This is what great thrillers are all about.This was the best of 2000.I recommend everyone watch this once.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: I could have don with out the last 10 minutes.
Review: As usual, Hollywood is not very good at endings. I was liking this film a lot until I saw the last 10 minutes when they go in the water and bla, bla, bla.

I mean, the way Harrison Ford refused to die reminded me of Freddy Krueger or Jason.

Too bad because it was up to that point, a very good movie.


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