HIDE AND SEEK

Plot Summary

After her mother's suicide, Emily Callaway (Dakota Fanning) and her father David (Robert De Niro) move to an isolated house to start a new life. David, a psychologist, is concerned for his daughter's wellbeing and his concern increases when Emily makes up an imaginary friend called Charlie. She becomes more secretive and her games with Charlie become more sinister. As Emily becomes more withdrawn, and strange things start to happen in their creepy house her father looks for ways to reach the troubled girl...

Review

This creepy story starts promisingly and has plenty of intrigue and suspense. The story seems to have more substance than similar movies in this genre. The hope is that Hide And Seek will have the suspense and tension of The Grudge and the intrigue of What Lies Beneath. Unfortunately, after starting off on the right track it seems to lose its way and the suspense and tension wane. You should be on the edge of your seat but the story drags on and the momentum is lost. The disappointing ending is unimaginative and devoid of tension.

Following the success of The Sixth Sense there has been a spate of movies recently that have tried to incorporate clever twists into the plot. Hide And Seek also takes a few turns and twists along the way and although I hadn't worked all of them out in advance they didn't come as much of a surprise. Perhaps the timing was bad or that these twists are expected and therefore don't have the same impact.

The movie is saved a little by the excellent cast. In particular, young Dakota Fanning, who also starred in Man On Fire, is excellent. She plays the part of troubled young girl very convincingly and her expression alternates between scared and scary!

Robert De Niro is good but you can't help thinking that his talent is wasted here.  

Bottom Line: Tense and creepy in parts but doesn't keep up the momentum. The story starts off well but is a bit drawn out and the ending is a bit of an anti-climax. If you enjoy Hide And Seek you might also enjoy: What Lies Beneath,  Gothika,  The Grudge, or Cold Creek Manor.

Reviewed by Niall Quinn, Premier Movie Reviews 2005.

RELATED MOVIE REVIEWS:  ROBERT DE NIRO: The Score,  Meet The Parents,  Meet The Fockers.  DAKOTA FANNING: Trapped, Man On Fire.  FAMKE JANSSEN: Don't Say A Word.  ELISABETH SHUE: Hollow Man.

Genre: Thriller/Suspense

Director: John Polson

Certificate: Hide And Seek was rated 16 by the Irish Film Censor's Office (www.ifco.ie). The film contains strong violence, mild sex/nudity and moderate language.

Official Movie Website: Hide And Seek

~ Main Cast ~

Robert De Niro

Dakota Fanning

Famke Janssen

Elisabeth Shue

Amy Irving

RATING

ONLY IF YOU HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO