SnapePrince

Red Lights (2012)

Another thriller of shocks (and it's reasonable doubt).

Dark film of paranormal intrigue in which a pair of scientists (played by Cillian Murphy and Sigourney Weaver) are dedicated to exposing the frauds and scams of the "mediums" and the parapsychologists ... until the world's most famous man with supernatural powers (a Robert DeNiro in "superstar" mode) is challenging them on their missions (and challenging them with reasonable doubts).

For those who are seeking a light entertainment of intrigue, shocks and surprises... here they will be really pleased. But for the ones who are looking for a new "Donnie Darko" or a new "Matrix"... they definitely are not going to find it here.

Fortunately Cortes doesn't limit only to get us into a horror house with scare after scare with no reason in a plain and immutable pacing (I'm remembering the bland "The Woman in Black") without development or a curious argument. At least "Red Lights" is decently progressive developing an interesting premise (where also the scientists- parapsychologist duel is plotting during the film with a growing excitement).

In the narrative field Cortés fills himself of proficiency (that change of pace in the last third of the film with infinity nerve-filled sequences (that remain everyone spellbound) are marvelous). He doesn't leave a single dead point in the minutes, he doesn't allow the viewer to go forward the plot or to be bored with monotony. An intrigue leads to another intrigue with such momentum that the hitch in the plot is complete.

"Red Lights" also has a very decent cast (Cillian Murphy (as the nerve-braking scientist challenged by his nemesis "DeNiro") is the main character... and here he re-confirms (again) as one of the best actors of his generation. What a promising future he has!! Regarding Weaver and DeNiro... they are clearly not at their best artistic moment, but their mere presence brings something special (they are definitely better than in their late films) and they fulfill their tasks without shining too much).

But even with all this, "Red Lights" remains as a roller coaster of shocks (very worthy during the trip, of course) that is forgotten after 5 minutes of seeing it. And it's because the packing is excellent... but the depth of the plot is insufficient and scarce. And what the film has in attractive anticipation... it lacks of depth. The magician's tricks end up revealed as superficial, frivolous and not treated with development, the internal worlds of each character are not explored with the expected effort... ultimately the script lacks of the depth that the premise presaged and ends up too common and banal.

That (and a standard atmosphere really viewed in all thrillers) is what it lacks to be a "Black Swank", a "Matrix", a "The Others" or a "Donnie Darko". "Red Lights" is more in the line of "Hide and Seek", "The Illusionist" or Shyamlan best works. More depth, risk and personality is what's missing from this to be set as a thriller masterpiece. The film is not going to be remember as a mass phenomenon or as a cult movie, but we can conform however to the fact that this is a thriller one step forward than the current average. Something intense in its narrative and very well directed, something evasive and distracting all the time, something to have a decent entertainment.