"The Other Side of the Door" Movie Review

If you lost your child, and someone approached you saying they knew how to "open the door" to the spirit world so you could say one last goodbye, would you do it? That's the conundrum Maria is faced with in The Other Side of the Door. In a freak accident, Maria's car ran off the road and into a river. Her daughter Lucy was unconscious but her son Oliver was wide awake, begging for help. Maria made the decision to save Lucy, but by the time Maria got her to shore, it was too late for her Oliver. After the accident, Maria became depressed and attempted suicide. Her husband saved her and she was soon returned home. The maid Piki approached Maria and offered her a way to talk to Oliver one last time. Maria agreed, but the Oliver she knew was long gone. Oliver had become vengeful and now would do anything to trap his mother.

The film was more suspense than horror and it moved at a slower pace. There are a few "jump" moments, but it's never really scary. A lot of focus is required to keep your attention for the first 45 minutes, but after that it becomes much more interesting.

The story and the acting were both excellent which gave me high hopes but sadly I was left disappointed. The execution of the story was lacking intrigue, mystery, and ultimately interest. Sure, the film became likable after a while, but will most audiences stay that long? Probably not, and that's a shame. Sarah Wayne Callies is brilliant, bringing her acting abilities to a whole new level. The sad part is, they might go unnoticed.

In conclusion, I want to praise this film but I can't. There's just too much wrong, too much that needs fixing. It's certainly not the actors' faults, or even the director's fault. The fault lies solely with the writers. They had a great idea, but just couldn't deliver what they were offering - the potential to be one of the great modern horror films.