0 Red Lights (2012) Review

Red Lights (2012)

Psychologist Margaret Matheson and her assistant study paranormal activity, which leads them to investigate a world-renowned psychic who has resurfaced years after his toughest critic mysteriously passed away.

Directed by: Rodrigo Cortés

Starring:

Sigourney Weaver

Robert De Niro

Cillian Murphy

8/10

This movie only got interesting 40 minuets into its running. If you're willing to sit through the continuous stream of dialogue, the wait will eventually pay off because what follows is an interesting story that may (or may not) question your personal believes and faith. Margaret Matheson is a psychologist who specializes in paranormal activity. The thing is she doesn't believe in 'the paranormal'. She believes in science.

Wait! Don't leave the cinema! There's really more to come. When they are not working at the university, both her assistant and prodigy, Tom Buckley and she would go hunting around town to blow the covers of several self-proclaimed 'psychics,' or in their words, frauds who claim they can speak to God and what not.

 Veteran actor Robert De Niro plays Simon Silver, a psychic who resurfaces after 30 years and someone Margaret has investigated in the past. Margaret has closed the case on Simon after she experienced a personal trauma that involved a close friend of hers. Now that Simon is back in the picture, Margaret warns Tom about him. But Tom isn't going to let this go and decides to uncover Simon's secret. In the process he uncovers more than he bargains for and he's left with more questions than answers. As far as story telling goes, Red Lights manages to put into question what one believes and it's this that draws you into the movie. The idea of this movie will leave you wondering how things would play out in the end. Even though the effects in the movies aren't terribly great, several scenes will leave you with goose bumps. As performances go, one would question why Elizabeth Olsen was even casted in the movie. Her character was neither necessary nor was is great. De Niro's performance too was disappointing. You'd expect a whole lot more from a veteran but I just found his efforts here lacking and his character development rather sloppy. Despite my disappointment with the acting abilities of the veterans, Red Lights succeeded story wise and that's enough to make it somewhat entertaining.