Review of Room 237 (2012) by Brett B — 28 Feb 2013

An incredible, thought-provoking example of film theory in cinematic form. ROOM 237 makes the terrific choice of relying exclusively on film clips (from THE SHINING, of course, but numerous other movies, as well), with omnipresent voice-overs from the proponents of the various theories that are laid out; this gives the documentary a kind of hypnotic cohesion, with faceless "ghosts," if you will, guiding us through the film from various points-of-view.

It is impossible for all of the interpretations presented to be "accurate" or true (and frankly, most of them - on the surface - are pretty sketchy), but equally, it is impossible to say that all of them are necessarily off-base or invalid readings of the movie.

We'll never know for certain what Stanley Kubrick's true intentions for THE SHINING were, what hidden meanings, if any, he might have woven into the story, but the ability of that film to inspire such wildly divergent opinions and discussions is a testament to its ambiguous, introspective, and deeply unsettling power.

ROOM 237 is a fascinating watch, the ultimate tribute to one of the great enigmatic and ultimately unknowable horror films ever made.