Fresh and Exciting

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

Judging by the reviews it seems to be a polarizing film that has determined this, rather unfair, low score. I found Regression to have an interesting premise, well written, crafted and credibly pulled off by stylish director Alejandro Amenábar. Writer/director of The Others and Open your Eyes, as well as writer of the English version, Vanilla Sky. A classic thriller with a classic twist. Worth watching.

This film has the ability to be a lot better than it was, with a great angle of the satanism abuse, it reminded me of a real life story here in the uk. This one is clearly based on true events, but perhaps wasn't as engaging in the beginning as the end and it's easy to get lost in somebif the story. That being said it's a worthy watch and perhaps one that becomes more clear with a second viewing.

**** May there be spoilers **** This is one film that you will need a certain state of mind to appreciate it and enjoy it. The plot, while weak, is gripping enough to keep your attention through the slow pace of the film, Acting is not exactly top notch but good enough to be believable, some better than others. The film will take you, at a slow pace, through a mounting aprehension of a tragic ending, only to defuse it at the very last minutes. Don't expect Hitchcock but it is a very watchable movie that, while leaving a lot of unexploited areas, does wonders on a format suitable for theaters. Solid direction, a good --not jaded- argument, fine camera and cutting, over average acting, and best of all a cohesive use of the limited resources of a lo-bud production.

I thought Regression was going to be a horror film, but it ended up being a psychological thriller which explores the real phenomenon of the "satanic panic" during the '80s and '90s, when rumors on satanic cults celebrating sadistic secret rituals even in the most innocent suburbs and communities were spread around the world. There's even an episode of The X-Files about that subject (second season, episode 14: "Die Hand die Verletzt"). That's the phenomenon which director and screenwriter Alejandro Amenábar attempted to examine in Regression; unfortunately, he wasn't able to find the right focus to make it interesting or even entertaining. The general narrative of Regression hesitates between the investigation of the policeman Bruce, the sessions of hypnotic regression and Anegla's flashbacks, in which we witness the rituals of torture, rape, sacrifice of babies, etc. Needless to say, all that is suggested; there's almost no blood and very little violence, because that's not the point of the movie. No, the point of Regression is making us be on the verge of falling asleep. Amenábar made the film equivalent of a sleeping pill, with a tedious and listless narrative which doesn't wake the slightest suspense or excitement. All the actors tremulously whisper their dialogues, but their characters don't say anything substantial; Daniel Aranyó's cinematography is excessively monotonous; and Amenábar's direction doesn't display a pinch of the sureness and virtuosity he had shown in Tesis, The Others or Agora. I don't want to spend more time talking about this piece of junk, so I will only say that despite having a talented director and some solid actors (including Ethan Hawke and two Harry Potter veterans: Emma Watson and David Thewlis), I found Regression a waste of time and an absolute disaster. I hope this was just a misstep in Amenábar's filmography, and that we will soon see him back working in a project on par with his talent.