The Hypnosis is a Korean horror-thriller movie directed written and directed by Jae-Hoon Choi and starring Lee Da-wit, Nam Min-Woo, Yi-suk Seo and Ji-won Shin, alongside other cast members. The movie is 85 minutes.
– The Hypnosis review does not contain spoilers –
The Hypnosis has a very distinct horror movie vibe from the moment it starts. If you’ve watched enough, you’ll be able to distinguish the score reminiscing so many other horror movies that we have watched throughout the years.
That being said, hypnosis is a tricky subject. Real-world implications are endless and thus people are really polarized on the subject. Some believe in it, some don’t. But most are intrigued by the concept and almost all would like to try it out. The thought of finding things hidden in your brain that you might not be aware of is something that really gets people.
The Hypnosis, as the title says, deals with the concept. Jin-ho is suffering mentally after losing his family in an accident. He’s receiving hypnotherapy to bring back lost memories. After being introduced to English student Do-hyun, the former invites the latter to observe his sessions. Of course, he, too, undergoes hypnosis and things take a horrible turn after that.
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The series has its moments of creepy and dreadful. Some freaky scenes are scattered here and there for good measure. However, they start very abruptly. We don’t know why or how or what it means. Why does it affect everyone around Do-hyun although they weren’t a part of it? It’s a little confusing.
The Hypnosis reminds me of The Grudge and Flatliners… or a weird horror baby of the two. Granted, it’s not the same, but you get what I mean. The movie can’t hold on to its intrigue or make us feel invested in spite of showing us some horrible things. Don’t get me wrong, I am a fan of watching things that we don’t really understand. The human brain is fascinating and complex; however, the film can’t really bring that point across satisfyingly.
If you can, however, stick around till the end then the explanation is going to give you some satisfaction. The movie did pack in some punch regarding its message and some of the gruesome scenes will make your skin crawl. This isn’t really a horror movie per se (well, it is but you know). It’s more about the horrors of bullying and abuse and how the brain represses bad memories.
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Summing up: The Hypnosis
In spite of good performances, The Hypnosis doesn’t really get to us like some other horror-thrillers of the genre. The movie does not give us anything to hold on to it. Creepy things happen only when it’s convenient for the plot and the characters themselves feel very lacklustre and empty. They also don’t make the most sense and don’t make obvious decisions because… reasons? Either way, The Hypnosis is a spooky watch for a boring Wednesday night, but won’t stick up if you really dig deep into it.
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