A Cure for Wellness by the acclaimed director Gore Verbinski (creator of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and the first instalment of The Ring) is back with a very weird spin on the horror/thriller genre. If you think you’ve seen this kind of movie before, think again. Be ready for an ultimate ride into the depths of your psyche with plenty of twists and turns along the way.
Without giving too much of the plot away, this is a twisted movie to say the least. The story features a young businessman named Lockhart (Dane Dehaan) who travels to an institute in Switzerland to rescue his unstable business partner Pembroke). Lockhart is met with animosity by the institute’s staff and in particular by its unsettling villain; Dr. Heinreich Volmer (Jason Isaacs). Lockhart meets a mysterious young girl named Hannah, (Mia Goth) a patient of which Volmer has dark designs. It’s a scenario that adds mystique throughout the plot line. What Lockhart assumes is an easy extraction of Pembroke, turns into a horrifying journey to uncover the institute’s dark past and reveals the real reason that patients return. As Lockhart himself starts to question his own sanity, viewers will be on the edge of their seats as he tries to make it out alive.
Filmed at Castle Hohenzollern in Germany, the movie location gives the movie a realistic authenticity. This dark, eerie and suspenseful movie is excruciatingly uncomfortable at times and nothing less than extraordinary. The trailer doesn’t give too much away. In fact it’s a deceptive tool in itself, misdirecting viewers before they have even set foot in the cinema. The production value here is a credit to Gore Verbinski’s work as a director and sets a new standard for any horror/thriller director.
Although it wont be everyone’s cup of tea, if you’re looking for a movie that is completely different, this is the one to watch this month. The film gets a negative point for being too long which becomes very noticeable in the last 30 minutes. However, regardless of these factors, the stunning cinematography by DP Bojan Bazelli alone is worth the cinema price. And with magnificent performances by actors Dane DeHaan, Mia Goth and Jason Isaacs, it’s as convincing as it is beguiling. The films’ best draw is the immersive journey that leads you to it’s climax, you’ll likely watch it all over again for details you’ve missed. Over all, the creators have succeeded in making a thoroughly creepy movie – just try to watch it without feeling like one of the patients searching for a cure.
Author: Paul, York store
