Cue exposition, and I mean a lot of exposition, Ben Affleck’s Hypnotic just came out on Digital and you know I had to watch it. After the enticing trailer, I went in with so much hope for the movie which promised to bring Christopher Nolan’s Inception, Total Recall, Satoshi Kon’s Paprika, and noir beats a la North by Northwest all in one film.
However, all I was met with was exposition, the plot is just too complex, so much of it is necessary to explain. It just isn’t fun.
Ben Affleck stars as Detective Danny Rourke, who is determined to find his missing daughter. While investigating a series of reality-bending crimes, Rourke finds himself spiraling down a rabbit hole. Aided by Diana Cruz (Alice Braga), a gifted psychic, Rourke simultaneously pursues and is pursued by a lethal specter, the one man he believes holds the key to finding the girl.
The movie is directed by Robert Rodriguez, who is known for his stylish and action-packed films such as Desperado and From Dusk Till Dawn. Hypnotic is a departure from Rodriguez’s usual fare, and it is ambitious.
Ben Affleck’s performance in Hypnotic is meh, he basically sleepwalks his way through this movie. He has the same facial expressions the whole movie and seems to be going through the motions for most of the movie, and thus his character never comes to life. The rest of the cast did a decent job, but they were also hampered by the script, and villainy ghosty icy William Fitchner was the perfect who-tf is this commanding psychological perp.
The plot of Hypnotic was certainly interesting, but it was also very far-fetched. It felt like the filmmakers were trying to cram too much into the movie, and as a result, nothing really had a chance to breathe. Albeit interesting, for something so far-fetched, you have to develop it enough to have the audience make that imaginative leap with you.
Overall, I would say that Hypnotic is a mediocre movie that is not worth your time. If you’re looking for a good psychological thriller, I would recommend checking out something else. you know, like inception.
If you do decide to watch it, stick around for the mid-credits scene… don’t walk out too early like the Rourke’s did!
