Review of Stonehearst Asylum (2014) by Spangle — 22 Apr 2016

Dammit. Stonehearst Asylum is a frustrating exercise. A compelling premise with a truly telegraphed ending that doubles down on its dumb final plot twist with the belief that a shoddily crafted romance/obsession can solve madness.

I hate that very idea and it leaves a truly sour taste in my mouth from this otherwise acceptable film. The initial twists and turns are truly engaging and set up a terrifying premise, even if director Brad Anderson fails to conjure up any scares.

The atmosphere is solid, but anything but scary. Instead, it is more of a thriller throughout. All the same, the period elements are top-notch and asylums always make for a truly compelling premise when it comes a horror/thriller film.

This is certainly the case, especially when the production and costume design are this good. Kate Beckinsale, Ben Kingsley, Jim Sturgess, and Michael Caine, all turn in solid performances and get the job done from beginning to end.

However, the ending is what skewers Stonehearst Asylum and is the film equivalent of putting the gun to your head and pulling the trigger.