Insanitarium (2008)

Friday, 25 July 2008 00:00

Reviewed by Carol Sullivan

Genre: Horror
Released: July 15th, 2008
Rating: R for bloody violence and gore, sexuality/nudity, and language throughout

Director: Jeff Buhler
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DVD FEATURES
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16 x 9 Widescreen (2.35)

Inside the Asylum: Jesse Metcalfe and Jeff Buhler

Deleted Scenes

Inside the Asylum: The Patients

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"I see how you're turnin' the crazy on and off..."
-- Dave (Kevin Sussman)

Take a mental asylum, a mad doctor and crazed cannibal-patients running amok in the hallways; what could make for a better horror movie premise, I ask you? Yes, that's what I thought, too, but steel yourself and read on...

Insanitarium begins as a handsome, young Jack (Jesse Metcalf, TV's "Desperate Housewives"), decides to find out what has happened to his sister, Lily (Kiele Sanchez). She had been committed to the Middleton Psychiatric Institute after their mother's death, never to be heard from again. Instead of going through the proper channels to learn of her condition, a misguided Jack decides to pretend that he's insane and gets himself committed as well. His highly-flawed plan to break his sister-out is underway.

After pitching a fit in a local park, the police take Jack to the asylum all gussied-up in a straight jacket. Jack soon learns that, far away from prying eyes, the staff at the facility has been experimenting on Jack's new roommates; and the treatments are turning them into cannibals. The mad Dr. Gianetti (Peter Stormare, Fargo) seems to thoroughly enjoy his work, but the experiments are quickly getting out of hand.

Grabbing his sister, Jack must try to get them out of the locked-down asylum before the hungry patients eat them, too. Let the blood bath begin!

I must say that this movie idea was a good one. It is very primal; the fear of being locked-up with dangerously insane people and the fear of going crazy in the process. But, outside of our two main characters, the acting in this movie is painfully over-done. The make-up and special effects are fairly impressive and the result is terrifically shocking and grisly. I have to say that I have never seen a movie that had so much blood getting tossed around. But, all in all, Insanitarium ends up feeling more like a gore-packed zombie movie than anything else.

Though parts of Insanitarium were disappointing, it does make for an amusing rental.

Once.

Overall Rating: 2

VIDEO | Trailer

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Last Updated ( Friday, 27 March 2009 16:05 )