Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageAwake (2007)
Director: Joby Harold
Movie review
From Time Out London
Joby Harold’s slick but silly medical thriller fails to exploit its attention-grabbing gimmick, ‘anaesthetic awareness’ – although sedated, rich kid Clay (Hayden Christensen) remains conscious during heart-transplant surgery. As surgeons cut through his sternum with an electric saw, and prise open his ribs to reveal his defective heart, he hears them plotting to kill him and steal his fortune.Why did Clay suspect nothing when, seconds after his spontaneous marriage to the beautiful Sam (Jessica Alba), the hospital phoned with news of a replacement heart? Perhaps he was preoccupied with the reaction of his over-protective mother, Lilith (Lena Olin), to his secret nuptials. Sam and Lilith also clash over the mother’s attempts to replace Clay’s surgeon friend, Dr Jack Harper (Terrence Howard), with her own man.
Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell the difference between Christensen’s conscious and anaesthetised states, even when Clay’s ‘out of body’ self starts padding about in his hospital pyjamas, his monotonous voice-over commenting on the unfolding drama. The medical madness spirals off the chart, the credibility factor flat-lines, and the laughing gas kicks in.
Author: Nigel Floyd
Time Out London Issue 1963 – April 3 – 9
User reviews of this film
-
- Katie said...
-
Posted on Apr 09 2008 12:49
This film was actually really good
I enjoyed all of it
:) - Report as inappropriate
-
- sum1 said...
- Posted on Apr 08 2008 13:07 I agree jake as time out said be kind rewind was bad but it was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Report as inappropriate
-
- jake said...
- Posted on Apr 07 2008 13:54 the time out reviewers must watch the films with their head up their backsides as whenever they say a film is bad (national tresure) its actually quite good, when they say its excellent (dan in real life) its awful. so my new rule of thumb is if time out say its bad go and watch it, its worked with the past 5 films i have watched. they dont understand what nice easy watching is and look for a reason in everthing!
- Report as inappropriate
-
- George said...
- Posted on Apr 06 2008 20:44 I liked this film. I do not think the main reviewer can have seen the same film I did! The twists were great and well acted. Yes there were flaws but it certainly rates a 4 star from me. Go see it.
- Report as inappropriate
-
- kelly said...
- Posted on Apr 02 2008 19:30 Very good film, however complicated in parts, but this makes it a more exciting film, not predictable as many films are, overall I would happily watch it again and again.
- Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Joby Harold
Cast: Hayden Christensen, Jessica Alba, Terrence Howard, Lena Olin, Sam Robards, Christopher McDonald, Arliss Howard, Fisher Stevens full cast
Rated: 15
Duration: 84 mins
UK Release: Apr 4 2008
US Release: Nov 30 2007
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Time Out's 101 Films of the Decade
Ten years, thousands of movies and millions of dollars in international box office, and it all boils down to this
Martin Provost discusses 'Séraphine'
Trevor Johnston talks to the director of 'Séraphine' about bringing a little known French painter back to life
Our verdict on Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones
Peter Jackson ends a triumphant decade with a sentimental misfire with this lush Alice Sebold adaptation
On the set of Ken Loach's 'Route Irish'
Dave Calhoun meets Ken Loach on the set of his forthcoming Iraq war movie
Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'
Stephen Poliakoff’s ‘Glorious 39’ is his first film for cinema since ‘Food of Love’ in 1997. Dave Calhoun met him
Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?
How does a film go from DIY experiment to box-office smash? 'Paranormal Activity' director Oren Peli explains
Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'
We talk to Steven Soderbergh about his two forthcoming films: one featuring a porn star, the other a chubby Matt Damon
A gateway to all things 'New Moon'
In anticipation of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon', Time Out is offering the chance to pick up a limited edition pack with three exclusive magazines and a free poster.
The films that deserve a TV spin-off
With Roland Emmerich suggesting he'd like to make a '2012' TV spin-off, we propose some more movie-to-TV serialisations
Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam
In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations
What do you think?
Post your review now