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Review by Vives Anunciacion

Skeleton Key
Directed by Iain Softley
Written by Ehren Kruger
Starring Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, Peter Sarsgaard
PG 13/ 140 minutes
Universal Pictures
Now showing

Lots of skeletons hide in this supernatural thriller from the writer of The Ring (US version). Skeleton Key is a decently-made workable thriller with a twisted twister ending that can scare the bones out of any screenwriter.

Kate Hudson (Almost Famous, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days) plays caregiver Caroline Ellis, who is hired to take care of ageing stroke victim Ben (John Hurt.) To make her work easy, Ben’s elderly wife Violet (Gena Rowlands) entrusts to Caroline a skeleton key that can open all the doors in the 30-room plantation era mansion – except for one door.

Caroline is suspicious of the mysterious locked door, which even more mysteriously, Violet prevents her from opening. Determined to discover the secrets behind the door, Caroline’s investigation would lead her from missing mirrors to strange symbols to hoodoo incantations.

For a mystery thriller, Skeleton Key has rudimentary structure, decent shots and sufficient editing enough to give obligatory suspense. Design is underutilized, not taking advantage of Louisiana’s intrinsic beauty and weirdness. Acting is permissible, with Rowlands making a nastyViolet, while Hudson is convincing enough as a very curious caretaker. Music has enough New Orleans ambiance to enhance the movie’s overall feel.

In short Skeleton Key has almost all the elements of a technically efficient thriller. All except the twister ending that’s one part unsurprising and one part inventive. The ending isn’t wrong; in fact it’s a good cap to tie all the subplots and the narrative together. One can say that this movie’s ending has similar intentions as other Asian horror movies with female protagonists. It’s just that the story elements take a painstaking reveal, the ending is almost unacceptable after all the fuss.

Skeleton Key maybe worth the watch on dark rainy days, better on video while home alone than in a theater full of uninterested watchers eager to scramble to the nearest open door as soon as the credits roll.

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