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jackhammer · 03-30-2009, 06:26 AM

Session 9 (Dir. Brad Anderson) 2001

I will begin to review films that place their emphasis on atmosphere and not gore for the next few reviews beginning with this film. Director Brad anderson is probably best known for The Machinist which starred Christian Bale which is a shame because Session 9 is a vastly superior film.

Abandoned old buildings can be an effective device on which to build a film around and Session 9 succeeds admirably using this. What seperates S9 from the usual crop is that it doesn't resort to cliched haunted house activity. In fact there is nothing in this film to suggest it's haunted. The menance and atmosphere is displayed in the social breakdown of an asbestos clearing firm of five men who have to gut the hospital.

We get glimpses that all is certainly not well with the hospitals past with abandoned audio tapes and manuscripts of demonic possession and child sacrifice. However by giving us fully rounded characters with fractious pasts we are viewing horror through them instead of cliched gimmicks.

The acting all around is excellent with David Caruso and Peter Mullan both shining and the cinematography (one of the first films to be shot on digital cameras) is exemplary and uses every distorted shadow or dark corner for maximum efficiency.

If you favour tense atmosphere over gore for your horror then Session 9 should definitely be investigated. The film may seem a little confusing towards the end but a rewatch or two and all becomes clear.

03-30-2009, 06:26 AM	#137 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	Session 9 (Dir. Brad Anderson) 2001 I will begin to review films that place their emphasis on atmosphere and not gore for the next few reviews beginning with this film. Director Brad anderson is probably best known for The Machinist which starred Christian Bale which is a shame because Session 9 is a vastly superior film. Abandoned old buildings can be an effective device on which to build a film around and Session 9 succeeds admirably using this. What seperates S9 from the usual crop is that it doesn't resort to cliched haunted house activity. In fact there is nothing in this film to suggest it's haunted. The menance and atmosphere is displayed in the social breakdown of an asbestos clearing firm of five men who have to gut the hospital. We get glimpses that all is certainly not well with the hospitals past with abandoned audio tapes and manuscripts of demonic possession and child sacrifice. However by giving us fully rounded characters with fractious pasts we are viewing horror through them instead of cliched gimmicks. The acting all around is excellent with David Caruso and Peter Mullan both shining and the cinematography (one of the first films to be shot on digital cameras) is exemplary and uses every distorted shadow or dark corner for maximum efficiency. If you favour tense atmosphere over gore for your horror then Session 9 should definitely be investigated. The film may seem a little confusing towards the end but a rewatch or two and all becomes clear. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”