Gothika - 2004 * * *

Because someone is dead doesn't mean that they are gone.

Gothika is a puzzling film. And I understand that it did badly at the box office. For good reason in my opinion. Although this had the makings of a good ghostly horror film, there were far too many gaps and plot-holes that were never answered. I don't mind films where nothing is what it seems and then at the end you realise what actually happened, but I have to draw the line and films where you haven't really got a clue what is going on, and then it is suddenly the end and you feel like you've missed a big chunk of the film because nothing was really ever explained to you. Halle Berry is very good in her part, and I found her mental state to be a very realistic portrayal of how you would imagine a person like that to behave. Unfortunately so much of this film just didn't add up that I cannot rate it highly. The ending was ridiculous and I know from other reviewers that they were all left feeling slightly cheated as well. Robert Downey Jr's character was terribly unlikeable which was a shame, seeing as how I'd loved his character in 'Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang.'

Three stars are given for the acting ability, not the story.