The Skeptic DVD Review
The Skeptic DVD Review
Don't believe the bad reviews.
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Lately there's been a preponderance of direct-to-disc mystery themed ghost flicks. I've been spending an awful lot of time with my eyes glazed over, watching poorly-directed actors wandering around in the dark. Not that I'm complaining (much). I could do a lot worse than writing reviews for a living but sometimes the tedium of seeing so many gawd-awful movies back-to-back and from start-to-finish becomes overwhelming. So when I notice a competent film like The Skeptic getting so many slams I have to step up and say, "It's not that bad." How's that for a ringing endorsement?
Actually, I enjoyed The Skeptic. Especially when put it into the context of old TV movies, which is where it really needs to fall in the line of judgment. It's not action-packed, CGI-laden, curseword-ridden, or riddled with nudity. Even though it does not seem to be made as an homage film (unlike House of the Devil), The Skeptic could easily have been a 1970s ABC Movie of the Week, or an 80s Lifetime Channel gem. It takes itself just seriously enough to be a little silly, and therefore is thoroughly engaging.
First of all, the casting is perfect. Small screen stars Tim Daly, Tom Arnold, Edward Hermann and Andrea Roth are featured, along with film actress Zoe Saldana, whose popularity has grown since her role as Uhura in the blockbuster Star Trek. Tennyson Bardwell's direction is nothing special, but his script is rife with pithy, wry dialogue and characters each drawn with a different brush. Claudio Rocha's 35 mm cinematography has depth, dimension, warmth and shadow, nicely complimenting the atmospheric and grand production design by Susan Block.
The story follows Bryan Becket (Daly), a cynical, no nonsense upmarket attorney who receives a stately family home after his estranged aunt passes away inside. But the haunted halls of the elegant Victorian aren't exactly his — strange Auntie willed the storied estate to a local research center for the paranormal. While he fights for his right to own and sell, Becket uses his childhood domicile as an escape route from the demands of his frustrated wife (Roth) and young son. It's not much of an escape, though.
His lifelong friend and partner in the firm of Becket & Sullivan, "Sully" (Arnold), is the polar opposite of Becket in that he believes in everything… and while he clearly doesn't think living in the creaky dwelling is such a good idea, that doesn't mean he's not up to a few pranks (hence, providing a few of the best requisite "gotcha!" moments). Rounding out the myriad in Becket's considerable orbit are his secretive psychiatrist (Hermann), his Aunt's sarcastic priest (the late Robert Prosky, in his final role), the research center's scientist (Bruce Altman) and one of its psychic test subjects (Saldana).
As in just about any haunted house parable — especially one of this caliber — one must suspend disbelief and just go with the character's kooky conundrums. A lot of it doesn't make sense, but I liked the actors, the dialogue and the presentation enough that I was willing to sit back and watch the eerie events unfold. Thankfully relying only on suspense, secrets, and organic visual cues, The Skeptic evokes several chilling moments using shadowy staircases, devilish dolls, mysterious moans and whispers, good old-fashioned boo-scares, and an ambiguous ending.
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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson