The Skeleton Key Review Country : USA Year: 2005 Genre: Horror Format: Cinema Running Time: 104 minutes Distributor: Universal A young hospice worker accepts a new assignment, not realizing that the old mansion on the outskirts of New Orleans hides a terrifying secret.... Credits Directed by Iain Softley. Written by Ehren Kruger. Starring Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, John Hurt, Peter Saarsgard, Joy Bryant and Maxine Barnett. When I first decided to take in The Skeleton Key, I had heard nothing but bad word-of-mouth. How could anything that is PG-13 with a plot that makes The Boogeyman look like an easily digestible whole warrant viewing? As much as I disagree with those statements now, they aren't exactly untrue. Some would say the plot has more holes than Swiss cheese. I'll get to all that a little later; right now I'll just glean over the positives. What The Skeleton Key has going for it is the same thing Fulci’s The Beyond had going for it. A wonderful atmosphere backed up by beautiful cinematography, and while the score here pails in comparison to the classic direction and score provided for The Beyond, it's still quite adequate and often effective. For all the supposed bad aspects of the film though, I just can't bring myself to dislike it. That's what I'm trying to grasp right now: Why do I like this film? It's almost deplorable when it comes to common sense and good horror. It's not gory at all; nobody even dies in the film. However, it's got a pulse unlike many of the bad horror films these days, especially all the PG-13 films. Actually, the film could be rated G or NC-17 and still be just as effective. During the last ten minutes, the film actually has a real tension to it that isn't usually found in most of these cookie-cutter, Hollywood crapfests. You would think it's probably just more of the same when it comes to horror films these days, but that doesn't stop it from having a lot of heart. The more you think about the film after you watch it, the more you realize how great it is. Maybe great is the wrong word, more like a relief. Caroline (Kate Hudson) is a twenty-five-year-old hospice worker who cares for the ailing and the elderly, a job designed to atone for her own mistake for ignoring her dying father in the past, when she had been a rock 'n' roll manager. After her latest charge passes away, Caroline takes a job in Louisiana, caring for Ben (John Hurt), a stroke-victim who is bed-ridden and cannot speak. But Caroline becomes suspicious of the house, and Ben's cold wife, Violet (Gena Rowlands) only adds to the creepy atmosphere. After acquiring a skeleton key, Caroline makes her way into a secret room within the attic where she discovers hair, blood, bones, spells, and other instruments for practicing voodoo. Violet says she has never been in the secret room, but that the items probably belonged to the original owners' two house workers, who practiced black magic and were lynched as a result. Noting that Ben had his stroke in the attic after entering the room, Caroline is determined to unlock the secrets of the house, and rescue Ben from the horrors that hold him captive within (plot summary from the IMDB). I don't know how I can comment on the unanswered plot threads without spoiling the film so I've decided not to go deep into it, but trust me on this; the film is well-written despite inconsistencies. Certain story arcs are opened, and by the middle of the film you're wondering why it was even brought up. Here's an example without spoiling anything big: When Caroline first moves in, a hidden door is discovered in the attic, rattling like someone is trying to get out. This is never answered....it comes close to giving some kind of resolution, but it's ignored for the most part. This is just a small example though. How is it possible that Ehren Krueger missed this? It's not like someone walking into a scene wearing a tie then exiting without it; this is stuff that was in the script! Kruger sat down and wrote this before the film was in production. Then someone came up behind him, read the script and said, "Okay, this is great!" I just can't see how so many people could have missed such obvious mistakes. The only thing I can think of is that the film is missing about six or seven scenes that tie it all together. I find that highly unlikely though. However, one can hope for an unrated director's cut on DVD, right? Usually this sort of thing would have rendered me incapable of even remotely liking the film, but this time I feel more forgiving. Why? Because I love the style of film. If you're not one of those select few that love atmosphere and tension over gore, cheap scares, and big budget F/X, stay away. It takes a forgiving person to be a enjoy The Skeleton Key, and if you don't feel you can turn a blind eye on some of the unanswered questions and make up your own mind, avoid this film because it will leave you asking yourself questions when it’s over. As far as the performances in the film, Hudson does a great job pulling off the sympathetic Caroline, while John Hurt gives a wonderfully haunting performance as the mute Ben and proves what an incredible actor he is. To be able to make the viewer feel his emotions without saying a word says a lot. However, the real star of the film is Gena Rowlands. She commands the screen and owns this film. Her portrayal of the seemingly cruel Violet is worth the price of admission alone. With The Skeleton Key, I find myself in a bizarre situation, because I actually want to see this film again as soon as possible to firm up some details and pay attention a little better, but I will surely wait for the DVD. Maybe I just want to build this up so you all will see it....I don't know. I am just glad that finally someone brought some fun to my viewing experience in the theatre, and I guess that's all I can really ask for. OFFICIAL SITE Review by John Gray, for Pitofhorror.com