The Awakening - B

Rated R, 107 minutes

 Slow-moving, familiar horror film "The Awakening" has some chills

Rebecca Hall in "The Awakening"

"The Awakening" is a handsome, well-acted and moderately chilling period piece and art house horror film from across the pond. Mildly languid but involving, it has elements of other films such as "The Others" and "The Sixth Sense."
Set in London in 1921, Florence Cathcart (Rebecca Hall of "Vicky Cristina Barcelona") is a renowned author who devotes herself to exposing claims of the supernatural as nothing but hoaxes. She is approached by Robert Mallory (Dominic West) to investigate the recent death of a student at the all-boys boarding school where he teaches. When fellow students report sightings of the young boy's ghost, she decides to take on the case. Initially, the mystery surrounding the ghost appears nothing more than a schoolboy prank, but as Florence continues to investigate events at the school, she begins to believe that her reliance on science may not be enough to explain the strange phenomenon going on around her. "The Awakening" is a modestly eerie film that some may feel is quite tame, but it's actually refreshing to have a horror film that doesn't rely on blood and guts for effect. Directed and co-written by newcomer Nick Murphy, much of it is rather supine yet it has a few nice jumps along the way; the last act isn't as well executed as it should be but overall a decent effort. It's also well-acted by Hall and West, not to mention a memorably hammy turn by Oscar-nominee Imelda Staunton (seen by most in several of the "Harry Potter" films). Though nothing new, if you enjoy a smart yet creepy (and mostly bloodless) horror film with a British flavor, then "The Awakening" may just be your cup of tea.