Advantages: Good acting Disadvantages: Not as scary as I'd hoped
...Century Fox present to you What Lies Beneath. I got my copy free from www.fox.co.uk. I’m not sure if they’re still offering free DVD’s but you can take a look at the previous website to see. (NB#1 - You can choose from What Lies Beneath, Dr. Dolittle or The Full Monty. NB#2 - If you do order a copy you can expect to wait a while (mine took about 7 or 8 weeks to be delivered). NB#3 – I don’t know whether this is on all ... ...a spellbinding supernatural thriller. What Lies Beneath marks the first pairing of superstars Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford, teaming them with Oscar winning director Robert Zemeckis.
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What did Sarah_Louise think?
Well MAXIM said: “Definitely the scariest film you’ll see this year”. (NB. This film was released in 2000).
I wouldn’t go that far myself but it is definitely worth a watch. ...
Sarah_Louise 28.11.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of What Lies Beneath (DVD)
Advantages: Great actors, good director Disadvantages: Wasted talent, wasted opportunity
...film that just cannot decide what genre it belongs to. Is it a murder/crime/abduction thriller? Is it a domestic relationship plot? Is it a witchcraft/ghost/haunting horror?
Even on first viewing there are so many nuances, hints and plot faults about the characters, their friends and history are never followed up.
- Why did Clare give up her music career?
- Was it significant that Caitlin was not Norman’s daughter?
- Why is the unbelieving friend ... ...in the plot?
- Just what was Norman’s father’s problem? Or is this a problem Norman had with his father?
- How did the newspaper cutting get inside the photograph? Why? - What is the nature and the origin of the apparitions? Are they natural? Or figments of Carol’s mind? And does Carol /Norman really believe in them
- Where does the smoke keep coming from?
- Surely a carpenter could fix the creaking door.
None of these are really made clear. ...
Newfloridian 05.01.2003
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Advantages: thrilling, plenty of suspense, tense and ominous Disadvantages: cliched ending, previews tell it all
...showing us the breakup of what is obviously a very close relationship. Alone all day every day for the first time, Claire gets bored, and begins to spy on the neighbours. Things progress, after a chance encounter with a very afraid neighbour, and she comes to the conclusion that her neighbour killed his wife. Shortly after, strange things begin to happen around the house - her door opens for no reason, her computer switches itself on, she hears noises ... ...be wanting to find out what lies beneath.
Unfortunately, one bad thing to be said about the plot is that a lot of it is given away in previews and trailers, so I wasn't really surprised at all.
The Cast and Directing:
I think Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer were very well cast. I think they worked well together, and as a husband and wife thrown through emotional turmoil, as suspicion and doubt are everywhere, and eventually, as the horrific ...
Athravan 04.05.2001
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Advantages: Creepy, engrossing storyline Disadvantages: Running time, gets a bit silly towards the end
...months’ earlier haunts the house. What is the connection between the house and the girl? What has happened to the woman next door? Things are not quite what they seem – and soon Claire will discover that her darkest fears may in fact be reality…..
This is one of those films that I struggle to review without giving away big chunks of the plot. Such is my praise, and criticism, that in many ways it is difficult to make sense, without ... ...What Lies Beneath is a very enjoyable film. Press reaction to the movie was mixed, and indeed the feedback that I received from friends who had seen it was generally quite negative. Despite the film’s two hour running time, I was completely hooked from start to finish – heightened by the fact that I watched the film all on my own on a dark, stormy night! What Lies Beneath is definitely very creepy – I thought that the film bore ...
LostWitness 07.05.2002
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Advantages: Storyline is interesting, even if you know where it's going, Ford and Pfeiffer gel well and performances are good all round, Disc is OK, but nothing special in terms of extras Disadvantages: No shocks, no scares, lack of tension throughout, twists signposted far in advance, necessary because we're all dummies apparently ;o)
...the house and if so, what does it want with them? Yes it's a lot more complex than that, but frankly, the interesting plot is one of the few things which keeps this movie's head above water so I'm not going to say any more, suffice to say, it does twist and turn and is interesting, if a little on the damn obvious side if you follow the pointers. The acting performances from those involved are all great, Pfeiffer and Ford can always be relied upon ... ...and tips throughout as to what was to come which are delivered with an almost sledgehammer obviousness...it's one of those movies which offer you elements early on to piece together the plot...unfortunately, it gives too much away and leaves you drumming your fingers waiting for it to get to the point, worse if you've seen the trailer which says far too much! Neither was I impressed by some deus ex machina plot twists which have been implemented ...
wampyrii 23.01.2003 (27.01.2003)
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Advantages: Great acting, great tension Disadvantages: None
...the DVD and find out what the hype is about.
I shall warn you now that 'What Lies Beneath' is one of those films that definitely benefits from not knowing anything about the plot before watching - it certainly wouldn't pack the same impact a second time around. Therefore you should be warned that I shall be giving a lot of the plot away, in order to discuss it. If this bothers you, then all I can say is, stop reading, go watch it, and you won't ... ...drop in this film.
What makes the film one of the scariest films I've seen then? Well, certainly not blood and gore - this is a 15 certificate film, which means no axe-wielding maniac, and no heaving teenagers having violent sex in an abandoned house while the chain-saw kicks into motion.
Nope this film, a la Hitchcock and The Sixth Sense combined, plays on our fears by very slowly building up the tension in our minds as to what is happening - ...
peppermint 22.04.2001
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Advantages: plenty of plot twists, fine acting, superb direction keeps the tension at a peak, then BANG ! Disadvantages: a little slow at times, but only a little
I always believe that the secret of a movie that truly sends shivers down your spine, is that you don’t actually see blood, gore and mayhem (A very respectable firm of lawyers they’d make too). It’s not the slash and bash, limbs hanging on by a thread kind of film that gets to me, but the likes of Hitchcock’s classics Psycho and The Birds. More recently, Director John Carpenter has come up with The Fog and of course the original Halloween. Well, ... ...highly - at least - as any of the above for sheer terror and jump right out of your seat chills. Zemeckis - better known for the likes of Back to the Future and Forrest Gump - teams up Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer and husband and wife Norman and Claire Spencer. Ford’s character is a brilliant research scientist who has recently moved back to his alma mater with former brilliant cellist, Pfeiffer and her daughter Caitlin (played by Katherine ...
flashpointz 03.01.2001
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...not! I have no clue what this film is about ... ah Harrison "Indiana Jones" Ford. Uh! Und Michelle Pfeiffer...must be a boring movie!?" - I thought. Well, but only until the first really shocking scene came up..
Norman Spencer (H. Ford), his wife Claire (M. Pfeiffer) and their daughter Caitlyn move into the house of Norman´s dead father, but Caitlyn leaves them (right at the beginning) to study at college. Norman is a successful and really busy ... ...thought that I had guessed what was going on, something happened and I could forget what I just figured out. Until the end it is impossible to guess what really happened.
I really liked, that not in every shocking scene someone had to die (not like in "Scream" or "I know what you did last summer"). There weren´t many special effects and it´s certainly not a very gory film, but it´s definitly one of the scariest films I´ve seen so far. Harrison Ford ...
Phil0815 12.12.2000
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Advantages: Excellent movie - kept my attention the whole way through Disadvantages: Quite long
...not bad!! I choose What Lies Beneath. Why – l don’t know – Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer are actors of a certain stature and do not usually make bad movies l suppose.
It is a Robert Zemeckis film and from what l can gather a bit of a change of style for him – his previous big hits being the likes of Forrest Gump and Back to the Future – both comedy feel good films. Well feel good this ain’t!
What lies beneath ... ...tells her to ask her what they want. This leads Clare to purchase an oujia board and we see her in the bathroom with her friend Jools holding a séance. Of course it’s a waste of time. Only when Jools leaves does the spirit make itself known to Clare.
As things get so out of hand, Clare confronts her neighbour Mr Furer – only to find out that she is totally way off track. The noises and ghostly goings on do not disappear though.
When ...
purdy 17.09.2001
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Advantages: Very tense thriller, good female lead, nice spooky effects Disadvantages: Too long, Harrison Ford takes a while to warm up (it happens to us all...)!
...Just look at these movies what he done:
*** Back To The Future = cool spin on time travel adventures *** Forrest Gump = intriguing mish mash of effects and drama And now - *** What Lies Beneath = cool, intriguing mish mash of spin on Hitchcockian drama with effects. Phew! Robert Zemecis is a surprising director, and not one you can easily tie down to a genre, which is an admirable quality in any medium. You *could* try and nail him down – ... ...him believe – but at what price?
* * * * *
Of course, the trick with all this genre hopping is effectively making the switch. Peter Jackson managed it, going from the uber-gore of Braindead to the beauty and surrealism of Heavenly Creatures with disturbing ease. Stanley Kubrick did sci-fi, war, eroticism and flawed novels with a touch of style. Now, Zemeckis is hardly comparable to the aforementioned visionaries, but he does deserve a second ...
peppersinclaire 14.05.2001 (18.07.2002)
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...plot changes failed to disguise what turned out to be a pretty damn obvious plot in my opinion. I fail to see where the shocks are either, but watching it for a second time with friends who almost fell out of their seat on some occasions I get the feeling that maybe its just me who finds it less than scary. In fact the scariest moment of the movie has to be Michelle Pfeiffer’s feet in the bath scene...toe jam or what! Both leads play their ... ...in the entire movie which becomes a little wearing after a while and whilst never becoming boring, it is a little uninspired at points. This movie never sets to be an all out horror movie, but rather a ghost story in the traditional sense and despite the obvious plot it is certainly watchable but nothing to get excited about. The special effects are used liberally and effectively, rather than being over-used as is often the case and the suspense ...
wampyrii 27.04.2001
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Advantages: good story, acting Disadvantages: a leeeeetle bit overlong
...you.
If memory serves, What Lies Beneath is actually pretty good. A suitably shocking trailer, a bored artist, a rainy day and BAM! I'm in the theatre, and trying desperately to forget Harrison Ford in Air Force One.
We start with establishing the characters: Michelle Pfeiffer and 'Ford are married, have just sent their daughter to college, and have 'weird' neighbours moving in next door. They live in a stupifyingly nice Maine house next to a lake, ... ...and more, finally escaping typecasting as Jack Ryan. This is definitely no Clear And Present Haunting. Pfeiffer is less memorable, but holds the movie together neatly. I wish I could say more, but...
Part ghost story, part detective thriller, part horror shocker.
What Lies Beneath? Dangerous Undercurrents, that's what... ...
revere 31.05.2001
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Advantages: Scary at some points Disadvantages: Stupid plot, doesn't make sense
What Lies Beneath is a horror movie directed by Robert Zemeckis (who was looking for something to do while Tom Hanks went on a diet for Castaway) and stars Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer as a husband and wife living in a big house. The film starts with their daughter going off to college meaning that Pfeiffer is left in the house all alone while Ford is off at working researching a drug THAT CAN PARALISE for a short period of time (remember ... ...simple sentences (I want mention what as not to spoil the suspense). Investigations into Fords past send some skeletons tumbling from the closets and her nightmares become real and a mind numbingly stupid chase sequence (Michelle may have watched Rear Window but she hasn't seen Scream) finishes the film off.
As you may of guessed, I wasn't to impressed with this. It has all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, at times doesn't make any sense at all and ...
Ork1927 08.04.2001
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Advantages: Not too many Disadvantages: Too many to list
...I am struggling to think what I can write that will not ruin the movie for the new viewer. You see while I do not like this movie I have been known to be wrong before. The problem with summarising the plot is that there are so many red herrings that it makes it impossible to give a good overview without spoiling it for someone else. The red herrings however one of the main reasons I hated this movie.
I guess I had better give you a plot outline. ... ...are left trying to guess what she is seeing and why. OK that is about as much as I can write without ruining the plot. Are you interested in watching it now?
Well I suppose that this is a horror movie and the genre does rely on false information and assumption to build tension. The problem here lies in the fact that this is all that What Lies Beneath seems to have. The characters are bland and unbelievable. To give Harrison and Michelle their dues ...
bigkenny 30.04.2001
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Advantages: Tenstion Disadvantages: seen it all before
...her quest to find out what is going on in the past starts. She becomes haunted by apparitions and her mind runs wild, at one point she even seems to invite the sprit into her. The film twists and become grusome towards the end and is well worth sticking with. Make sure you watch it with at least one friend, and perhaps a partner because he/she will be hugging you tight by the end!! Some things are left un-explained though, this does add to the mystery ...
northernalex 11.07.2001
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Production Year: 2005 - Horror - Director: Eli Roth - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Jay Hernandez, Derek Richardson, Shane Daly, Lenka Vlasakova, Eythor Gudjonsson, Jan Vlasak
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