Genres

Visitors Review

2012-05-24 23:44:58

Hollywood does an average job of an okay Dean Koontz horror

Hmmmm, man nearly dies in crash, wakes up and discovers a new psychic talent that wasn't there before... Haven't we seen this before, people? Okay, so there are a few differences between this film and Stephen King's 'The Dead Zone', the main one being tension. 'Hideaway', based on a faintly supernatural thriller by Dean Koontz (the poor man's Stephen King), lacks...something, although what it lacks in suspense it makes up for in wasted talent. Christine Lahti's character brief appears to have been 'wet, simpering fishwife' while Alicia Silverstone does her usual spoilt American teen-type with annoyingly stretched eyes, as though eye-widening were the only way to portray naivete. Jeff Goldblum makes the best of a cliched and often stilted script, but even an actor of his talent and professionalism (let's face it, the man's made some stinkers in his time) can't conceal downright discomfort and regret when it comes to retreading old straight-to-video-thriller ground. But it's not all bad. Even with young Jeremy Sisto (or whatever his name is) trying his best to steal the show, Goldblum's truly wry spirit helps make this film watchable.

slayrrr666 2012-05-24 11:54:40

Not that bad, but could've been better

"Hideaway" really wasn't as bad as it could've been, but it's not allthat great as it is.**SPOILERS**Coming home from their ski-top resort, Hatch, (Jeff Goldblum) andLindsey Harrison, (Christine Lahti) and his troubled daughter Regina,(Alicia Silverstone) are involved in a horrific car accident, and Hatchis brought back from the dead afterwards. After being normal for a fewdays, he begins to have weird nightmares and visions, and Dr. JonasNybern, (Alfred Molina) confirms it's nothing. Despite the reassurance,he still has the visions of a strange man attacking people, all donewith his mind. Eventually learning that the man is named Jeremy,(Jeremy Sisto) and that he had been brought back to life Hatch'srecovery from the accident after himself dying. As he begins acity-wide rampage that includes Regina in his targets, Hatch races tostop him before he can fully return from the dark side.The Good News: This wasn't all that bad of a film and did contain somenice moments. The fact that the film does use a fairly routine andclichéd storyline into something actually decent. The fact that anordinary man is in contact with a demonic entity is done before anddone quite well, but this is still a very watchable film. They use thetechnique well and make it a very worthwhile watch. That also has anadded bonus in being able to give the film a large amount of suspensethrough this, and it does have a creepy tone throughout. The visionsare thankfully not just of the killer going about his business killingthe innocents, but also the set-ups and seemingly random scenes thatwill eventually be useful later on in the chase. That is a nice touchand is really welcomed. The ending chase is it's best part, full ofsuspense and some nice action. The reasoning behind the battle is themajority of the suspense, as the longer it takes to get to the finalshowdown is less time needed to save one of the victims and the journeyto get there through a never-ending series of darkened tunnels alsochipping in some as well. The final battle, with the turns in the tideof the fight and the setting placed provide some really nice actionscenes that effectively end the movie on a high note. The early scenesin the nightclubs do have an eerie quality to them, and are nicelyplaced to keep it from being a really drawn-process. The car crash atthe beginning, while being slightly overkill, is also one of the bestscenes, being a really high-action set-piece that is quite thrillingand is a real spectacle. The pace isn't that terrible, and while itcould've shortened some scenes there's really nothing that keeps itfrom being an overlong film. This really could've been far worse.The Bad News: There isn't a lot here that keeps it from being thatgreat. As mentioned before, the pace isn't that great, and there aresome scenes that drag out far longer than possible. The opening carcrash is a major example. Once the car hits the woods, the scenecould've ended there and still had the set-up necessary for the rest ofthe movie. There's no reason to drag it out far longer than it is. Themany scenes of wandering around listening to the characters attempt toexplain what's going on near the end are some other big scenes. Thatalso brings up the other big factor, which is the stupidity of thecharacters. Major plot points are not revealed by any intelligence onthe characters' part, but based on coincidence. The best is thediscovery of the motel the killer is staying at. The character happensto drive by it, even though it's been seen through his visionscountless time before it and that takes it sheer coincidence that ithappened. The CGI at the end is really unrealistic and only just looksfake now as it did then. With a little help, this could've been a lotbetter.The Final Verdict: There could've been some little fixing to make thisa little better, but it's still not that bad as it is. It's not reallythe worst film of this type, but there is still room for improvement.Give it a shot if it sounds interesting, just don't expect a classicand it'll be a decent watch.Rated R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language and Nudity

DJO 2012-05-23 20:44:59

Recommended! A clever story, with excellent special effects.

I had no fore-knowledge of this movie and thus every element was athrillingsurprise. The story-line was a very clever one and had a true sting at theend. The cast were actors of high calibre who gave impressive performances.A pulsing sound-track and impressive special effects, made this a moviethatkept me on the edge of my seat.

2012-05-23 08:15:08

Hideaway was incredible

Besides the outreageuos special effects,and the macarbe scenes of violence, Jeremy Sisto was well cast as Vassago..that voice, those eyes! The book was better ,but the movie was awesome and terrifying in its own right.Don't forget to catch the last scene at the end of the credits!

2012-05-21 20:58:03

Compared to the Book: BLAND.

This could have been a really incredible movie. The Book was very suspensful and had a lot of fantastic imagery that would have played well on the screen.The film version of this story fell VERY SHORT!It wasn't the casting or the script...I was disappointed in the plot elimates that were dropped from the Book Version.The Film opens with the Living Room Scene of Jeremy's Mother and Sister posed in Prayer Positions. I kept hoping they would show the poses for the other victims as well (like they do in the book)...THIS WAS MY GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT with the film version.Maybe I should have seen the movie first?And then read the book?

gridoon 2012-05-21 11:49:37

Entertaining enough.

I haven't read Dean Koontz's novel, but most of this movie'sfaultscan be traced back to predictableand simplistic script, which bears a strong resemblance to "The Eyes OfLaura Mars". Otherwise, this is an entertaining horror thriller,with trippy "tunnel vision" (literally) sequences,flashes of dark humor andthe usual good performance by Jeff Goldblum.The "good vs. evil" climax does come off a bit cheesy,butthat doesn't happen because the effects are not good; it happensbecauseof the way in which they are employed. (**1/2)

2012-05-20 16:18:32

It's decent

I have to say, I was fairly underwhelmed by this film. I have not read the book, but I have a feeling that it is much better than this. Even with all the short comings the movie is decent, but it has some major flaws. For starters, the direction is horrid. The film seems flat, and almost made for TV at times. There is no tightness, nothing close. That hurts the movie a great deal, because the lack of any claustrophobia cuts the tension down immensly. There is only a few short moments where there are any real scares (the begining, and a few of the Sisto in the shower moments), but other than that there is hardly anything here to really scare the audience. The second problem is how the movie seems to glaze over some of the more violent aspects. Yes, there are on screen murders, but they are so tame that the horror of the moment is lost. It all feels very by the numbers as well. The final problem is the acting. Everyone here seems to be trying, but the script gives them very little to work with at times, and because of this, the acting is very on and off. Jeremy Sisto suffers the most in this area. His performances goes from dark and menacing to horridly over the top, and almost pushes this entire affair in to B-movie territory. Jeff Goldblum suffers from the same problem. Christine Lahti has some nice moments, especially towards the end while she is fighting Jeremy, but she also slips in to some over acting. Alicia Silverstone is there, and not much else. She really has no character or than the hostage. The rest of the cast is fine. The movie does have some very interesting set designs, and the story does have it's cool moments (although those moments are hurt by the very blah pacing). Now, the movie is far from horrible. It is entertaining to a degree, and has some very interesting sequences (the hell and heaven stuff does look horribly dated due to the reliance on computer graphics though). Also, it is always fun to see some fairly well known actors in a fairly cheesy horror movie. I would recommend renting it, and if you can find the DVD or VHS for really cheap, then grab it. Otherwise, this one can warrant a miss.

cassandra16 2012-05-19 22:12:17

Very good movie

I thought the movie was good. A little confusing but good. I personallythought Jeremy's character was great. Jeremy Sisto was the best actor outofthe whole movie because he was so into it. I recommend people seeing itwhoare interested in what happens if you kill yourself or satanic worship.Thespecial effects are good for that time but compared to now it looks funny.Please go rent it and see for yourself! ~*~Cassandra~*~

Phroggy 2012-05-17 20:33:56

Hide away from this movie !

You always know there's something wrong when you guess what isgoing on a long (looooong.) time before the protagonists. Thisone succeeds in being almost as moralising and self-righteousthan the novel. But in the novel, Koontz went to great length toexplain that today's music was no good and should end up in agarbage can while only sixties music was the real stuff (Yeah,right.) when this movie's soundtrack feature the best industrialbands in activity ! Well, at least there's one good thing tothis movie, but you have to close your eyes.

Sal van den Bosch 2012-05-17 09:25:14

Am I weird? Because I enjoyed Hideaway....

Call me the ultimate anarch, but I'm inclined to disagree with theslatingsthis movie has received. Maybe I was watching a different film, but Ipretty much enjoyed Hideaway. Okay, maybe the scripting wasn't pureShakespeare, maybe the plot was a little tenuous, or a little unoriginal,but still, a little credit where it's due please.I admit, I was expecting from the write-up a second rate TV movie, butendedup with a deranged grin plastered across my face. I particularly enjoyedthe film's 'darkness', and hellishly black soundtrack that only added totheeffect. Personally, I'm surprised that Jeremy Sisto has yet to bementionedin the reviews, because I believe his chilling performance as Vasago wasoneof the shining factors in this movie. What with his penetrating stare andspooky, well-spoken accent he made, to me, the perfect killer. A round ofapplause for the young man, if you please.Personally, I see Hideaway as a movie that should be a big hit with thegothic community, and I shall stand by my word regardless...

Logan-22 2012-05-14 16:13:07

One of the worst movies ever made

"Hideaway" was one of the worst films I have ever seen (and not in a "sobadit's good" way, either). It was a thoroughly pathetic and predictablesupernatural thriller with zero mystery and uninspired performances. Theopening car wreck is perhaps the most ineptly filmed in recent memory.**SPOILER** The identity of the killer is revealed way too soon, and whenitis, it is as a heavy metal loser with the personality of a doorknob. Everytime he shows up, we are "treated" to lame headbanger music (is thatsupposed to be scary or just sell copies of the soundtrack?). None of itmakes any sense, nor does it ever really attempt to explain how or why anyof the supernatural elements are occurring (particularly the painfullyincompetent final confrontation between the forces of good and evil, withcornball dialogue like, "evil cannot survive in the light."). I couldn'tbelieve this trash was ever released into theaters; it felt like a bad TVmovie (and looked about as expensive).As a final nail in the film's coffin, "Hideaway" suffers greatly under theremarkably ham-fisted direction of Brett Leonard, whose bizarre obsessionwith utilizing terrible computer animation (ala' his prior, and muchbetter,film THE LAWNMOWER MAN) serves to completely undermine and destroy thispicture.I have not read the novel on which this is based, nor any of Dean Koontz'sbooks, so do not take this as an attack on Mr. Koontz's writing ability(which hopefully is better than Hideaway's horrendously cliche'dscreenplaywould lead me to believe)... I rented "Hideaway" as half of a "2 videosfor99 cents" deal and felt cheated out of my rental fee, as the film failedtodeliver even that miniscule amount of entertainment.All I can say is: "Boo!!! Brett Leonard you owe me fifty cents!"*throws popcorn at the screen*

juliesunshine 2012-05-14 13:54:22

good movie, exciting thriller, nice to watch

I did enjoy this thriller, it was very suspenseful throughout,climaxing in a marvellous finish.Having read the book (which was brilliant) as well, I must say certainkey aspects have been changed for the movie, like for example Regina'scharacter.In the movie, Regina is Hatch's biological daughter - a blonde, greeneyed, carefree, flirty teenager, while in Koontz' book Regina is acrippled, small-for-her-age but very smart ten year old orphan with"grey eyes and beautiful deep auburn hair", who is later adopted byHatch and his wife Lindsey.Also, Hatch dies in a traffic accident in the movie and is resuscitatedafter two hours. In the book, Hatch drowns, but is brought back to lifeafter just over an hour.Hatch is described as "five foot ten, 160 pounds" in the novel. JeffGoldblum, who plays him in the film, is much taller at six foot fourand a half and significantly heavier as well.Lindsey is blonde in the movie, but in the book she is described as awoman with "dark hair".So much for authenticity! At least they made an excellent choice withJeremy Sisto, who played the mad serial killer Vassago veryconvincingly.If you happen to have read the book first, you can't help but noticethe dissimilarities, but that surely didn't stop me from enjoying thismovie a great deal. If you haven't read the book at all, this film willblow you away! Gina Skinner, near London, UK

2012-05-14 07:26:07

hideaway

i think this movie was better then the book. i would defentialy watch it again

2012-05-13 20:03:58

Dark/disturbing for parents

This is a dark, disturbing movie for any parent to watch (saw it when it first released many years ago). I hated it (expected a better/different type movie because of the actors involved).

moonspinner55 2012-05-12 20:27:15

The pits...

Not long after losing one of his two daughters in a car accident,family man and antique store owner Jeff Goldblum suffers his own cartrauma and literally dies momentarily; a doctor brings him back tolife, but it seems Goldblum has brought good and evil powers back withhim from the other side: he is now telepathically entwined with apsychopath who hunts young women. Based on a Dean Koontz novel, thislow-grade thriller has one of the laziest screenplays I've ever comeacross. Writers Andrew Kevin Walker and Neal Jimenez don't seem to havea shred of verisimilitude when it comes to writing dialogue for theirequally unreal characters--nobody behaves the way regular people would.Christine Lahti is Goldblum's ineffective wife, Alfred Molina isGoldblum's ineffective doctor, Kenneth Welsh is an ineffectivedetective. They're all walking contrivances in this half-cockedadaptation, which allegedly embarrassed best-selling author Koontz (ifit didn't, it should have). Just back from the hospital, Goldblumbegins having nightmares that look like bits and pieces of a heavymetal video; the viewer is cued up for the obligatorywaking-up-with-a-jolt-from-a-nightmare close-up (and the movie doesn'tdisappoint). Turns out there's a killer in town (Jeremy Sisto) who getsaround from place to place with effortless, alarming accuracy; whenhe's not hanging out at a sleazy motel--which isn't even listed withinformation--he's holed up at a derelict amusement park (seems heconveniently has the place all to himself). Of course, nobody takesnote that Sisto's latest victim looks like Goldblum's other daughter(Alicia Silverstone, who does nothing but whine), nor does wife Lahtitake into account that just maybe her husband knows what he's talkingabout when he says their kid is in danger. The movie makes absolutelyno sense from a logical stand-point, though all of this is renderedinconsequential once Jeff and Christine arrive for a showdown withSisto near the park's Big Slide ride. The results of this stillbornfinale are so shameful, one can only hope Goldblum and company werewell-paid for not looking outraged. NO STARS from ****

2012-05-12 07:12:04

Interesting change of events...

I felt that although the book Hideway was ten times better than the movie,the movie had an originality of it's own. But,the book and the movie differ a lot. First of all Hatch played by Goldblum is a 5'9 160 pd. man. Goldblum on the other hand is 6'3 200 pds. Although some say this was a minor factor in the movies turnout, it was not in my eyes. No offense to Goldblum but he is better in comedic roles and playing human flies. Also in the book Regina was not a 16 year old ditsy blonde, she was an intelligent redheaded ten year old girl w/a physical handicap. HAHAHa. I think Silverstone could have played that part well. Yeah right, "as if". And last but not least Jeremy Sisto... Lets just say he was the best part of the whole movie. He is how I envisioned the killer tall,dark, and handsome. And there is something about his voice that is charming yet dangerously chilling to the bone. There are a few things that would have made the movie a bit better, maybe if the imagery was had more spice and also better portrayals of the roles. Although Goldblum and Silverstone are good actors in there own way they have proved that they can not be seen in a thriller.

Brooklyn-10 2012-05-12 20:53:29

Banquet for Sisto fans

I rented "Hideaway" solely because Jeremy Sisto was in it, and I have to sayI was only somewhat disappointed. The movie's weakest points, and they areWEAK, are the completely gratuitous, TV-show quality special effects. I havenever seen effects that were as utterly ridiculous to end a movie with.Thisis the sort of movie that reminded me,"Oh, yeah,THIS is why I hate specialeffects." However, aside from the mind-blowingly bad effects and thepredictable plot, there is one very, diamond-bright spot in the movie, andthat is Jeremy Sisto as the killer Vassago. Spookily sexy in trenchcoat andleather, he resembles a seriously psychotic "Lost Boy". Projecting anenchantingly evil sensuality, he is magnetic in his too-few scenes ofdialogue. Truth to tell, if Vassago had cast the spell of his eyes and voiceon me, I would have gone with him to a terrible fate. I found enjoyable alsothe heavy, death-metal soundtrack. (Although I am beginning to tire of thestereotype that killers in movies always listen to metal. What about all thedrive-by shooters who listen to rap? But I digress) To sum up, unless you'rea big Sisto fan I wouldn't bother. But if you are, BonAppetit!

2012-05-12 08:10:25

It was so cool!!

I thought the movie was so good mabye because i like jeremy sisto.. it didnt need to show the ugly parents having sex for no reason. But i thought jeremy sisto played very good as a possessed psyco!! Plus alicia silverstone is my favorite actress!!! Bye!! *Cassandra

Tasha 2012-05-09 13:11:18

I haven't read the book, but Koontz said...

I read the book and enjoyed it. Koontz had a new afterword that implied he had nothing to do with the movie after a certain point where his main man got let go or something. He tried to get the movie stopped because he didn't like where the direction was going, but the producer or owner of the company he signed his rights over wouldn't return his e-mails. I think I will not watch the movie since he did not like it.

Voni 2012-05-09 03:04:56

Is Sisto Goldblum Jr.?

I saw it during a cable free preview period. It was mildly entertaining. But my real point is this: As I watched the movie, I was at first almostcertain that Jeremy "Jesus" Sisto's character intentionally resembled leadactor Jeff Goldblum. Am I alone in thinking this? I just saw Sisto in"Jesus" and began wondering if that was him I remembered seeing in"Hideaway".