The Awakening poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Rebecca Hall, Dominic West, Imelda Staunton, Staunton Isaac, Hempstead Wright ... see more see more... , Lucy Cohu , John Shrapnel , Diana Kent

1921 England is overwhelmed by the loss and grief of World War I. Hoax exposer Florence Cathcart visits a boarding school to explain sightings of a child ghost. Everything she knew in unravels as the ... read more read more...'missing' begin to show themselves.

Flixster Users

76% want to see it

2,768 ratings

Critics

71% liked it

24 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 47 min.

Directed by: Nick Murphy

Release Date: August 10, 2012

Invite friends to see

report incorrect info

Photos

Florence Cathcart The Awakening The Awakening
Upload a Photo | View All The Awakening Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (297)

  • Deano78
    May 6, 2012
    Deano78
    A decent British film that has plenty of creepy atmasphere, without ever really being scary. A good British cast with a lot of recognizable faces give a good performance collectively and the
  • Crashinkov
    April 19, 2012
    Crashinkov
    in the beginning of the movie really I didn't find it attractive, and during it there were alot of ups and downs, some were boring and make no sense, and other were a confusing nice tension, but in the last 30 min I figured all the things out,really it was an amazing end.
  • imrealgod
    March 20, 2012
    imrealgod
    With its own originality, it's a sort of The Sixth Sense meeting The Orphanage. Sort of. From action to direction, everything's smooth and fine. Quite watchable.
  • tard15r06
    November 13, 2011
    tard15r06
    1921 and scientist Florence Cathcart (Rebecca Hall) works as a civilian consultant debunking hoaxes regarding the paranormal.

    When schoolteacher Robert Mallory (Dominic West)asks for her assistance to investigate a death following the sighting of an apparition at his school in... read more Cumbria, Cathcart is confronted with a situation which is otherworldly... or has more of a human influence to it.


    This drama is very much in the style of The Turn Of The Screw or the forthcoming The Woman In Black as the lead character of Florence is required to investigate supernatural goings on in a remote location. The film uses very little in the way of camera trickery and goes more for a slowly building tension as the story progresses.

    Rebecca Hall delivers an excellent performance in the role of Florence. At first she is sure of the nature of the world seeing the supernatural as fodder for charlatans and tricksters. However, as the film progresses the character loses this sense of her reality as she investigates the supposed hauntings at the school.

    Hall is ably supported by Dominic West in the role of Mallory which calls for the character to move from a confrontational posture of disliking Florence's work to thst of an ally and Imelda Staunton who portrays the role of the school's matron, and fan of Cathcart's work, Maud.

    The cinematography and direction is beautiful supporting and building on the menace throughout the film.

    The script is cleverly written as red herrings are exposed and clues are hidden very much in plain sight.

    So, why only 70%? Well, to be honest this film isn't really suitable for the big screen and it misses the market that it is aimed at. This film is more suitable for the quiet confines of a dark room in autumn with a coal fire burning in the hearth and the viewer being scared from the comfort of their armchair.

    My advice... wait for this one when it comes out on home viewing where you may get more benefit from the scares.

View All The Awakening Reviews

Critic Reviews

John DeFore
September 13, 2011
John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter

A too-rare instance in which a gifted young actor signs on for a fright flick without coming away tainted, The Awakening places Rebecca Hall in a convincing historical setting and gives her more to do... Full Review

Adam Smith
November 16, 2011
Adam Smith, Radio Times

This is no classic of a notoriously difficult genre, but if you can forgive the silly conclusion, it's still satisfyingly scary. Full Review

Alistair Harkness
November 13, 2011
Alistair Harkness, Scotsman

When the convoluted explanation comes, it's too silly to justify the film's self-serious tone. Full Review

Philip French
November 13, 2011
Philip French, Observer [UK]

The movie is best when in sceptical mode. It goes astray when it essays a kind of tragic poetry along the lines of The Turn of the Screw. Full Review

Derek Malcolm
November 11, 2011
Derek Malcolm, This is London

Gets dafter and dafter as it progresses. Full Review

Graham Young
November 11, 2011
Graham Young, Birmingham Mail

A truly fine effort, a worthy reminder of the quality of traditional British pictures and just how good the ghost genre can be when it relies on space, time and simple creaks for effect. Full Review

David Edwards
November 11, 2011
David Edwards, Daily Mirror [UK]

The film is full of familiar scenes of ghostly goings-on, which lead to an unshocking shock ending. Full Review

Rosie Fletcher
November 11, 2011
Rosie Fletcher, SFX Magazine

The Awakening is a classy old-fashioned ghost tale in the tradition of The Turn Of The Screw Full Review

Christopher Tookey
November 10, 2011
Christopher Tookey, Daily Mail [UK]

Winter and Christmas are traditionally times for ghost stories, and The Awakening is a classy one. Full Review

Peter Bradshaw
November 10, 2011
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]

I have to say I found the final, colossal revelation to be contrived, but there are some nicely creepy moments... Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • El Orfanato (The Orphanage)
    El Orfanato (The Orphanage) (100%)
  • The Sixth Sense
    The Sixth Sense (100%)
  • The Others
    The Others (100%)
  • The Forgotten
    The Forgotten (100%)

More Movies like The Awakening

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

The Awakening : Watch Free on TV

The Awakening Trivia

  • What movie was filmed from Bram Stoker's novel "The Jewel Of The Seven Stars" hint, Charlton Heston stars in this horror flick.  Answer »
  • Just got this question. How many Omen movies were made? Correct answer 4 However there were 5 Omen movies made. The Omen 1976 Damien: Omen II 1978 Omen III: The final Conflict 1981 Omen IV: The Awakening 1991 The Omen Remake 2006  Answer »
  • In the 1998 Hollywood version of Godzilla, the creature is awakened by nuclear tests by France. In the original 1954 Japanese version, not the French but which country was responsible for awakening Godzilla with advanced weapons testing?  Answer »
  • In which movie did Robert de Niro and Robin Williams stars from?  Answer »
More The Awakening Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for The Awakening. Want to create one?

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All The Awakening Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add The Awakening to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?