Hide and Seek: Review By The CryptKeeper

I saw this a long time ago, and thought it was decent. But I don't know what my problem was. I wanted to rent it again, because I didn't remember much. But this time I watched it, I really liked it! Very creepy undertone, and the suspense is high throughout!

The story is not 100% original, but that's ok. Not too many are nowadays. It does work extremely well though. It is kind of a twisting plot at the end, but I'll tell you, what you are suppose to think. So Robert DeNiro has a wife, and daughter. But then the wife kills herself one night... they are traumatized, and want to move on with their life. So they start a new life in the country. But when they move there, the daughter gets an imaginary friend named Charlie... and then all these odd events start happening... It is a very well thought out plot, more than most movies are.

The acting is excellent! I mean, duh, Robert DeNiro gave a fantastic performance, and the father. But that little Dakota Fanning can act! I mean she's about maybe 10 years old (I think, I could be way off), and she can already play parts that most adult actors would have a hard time with! Wow, she's going to win an Oscar some day, I can just see it! She plays such a disturbed little girl. I mean, her mom died, so what would you expect? But anyway, she does excellent, and so does DeNiro as always!

The director is Ari Schlossberg or something like that. I've never even heard of him, but he still does awesome with the whole movie. Everything put together, it just works. He give the film a nice undertone/atmosphere. The film may not have slam-bang action, but it still keeps you highly entertained. It sort of... draws you in, and never lets go.

There isn't a whole lot to do with visuals in a film like this. I mean, it's just a house in the country. I will say that there in some pretty scenery where they move to. Also the film has like a dark look to it, but it's not really dark. Hard to explain, but you'll see when you see the movie.

Overall, a excellent movie. I know many didn't love it, but found it "just ok." I don't really understand it. I guess it was probably released at the wrong time though... back in 2005 it seemed like there were a lot of movies that were having shocking twists at the end, and this probably wasn't considered anything special... but that's not the case for me. Great movie, in my opinion.