Close Your Eyes (2002) User Reviews

Sleeper

[ghoulieguru · 5/10 · 6 November 2004]

Close Your Eyes (aka Doctor Sleep) has all the makings of a horror sleeper. I hadn't heard anything about it, and thought the DVD box looked interesting, so I picked it up. I'm used to renting bad movies that have great packaging, so I didn't hold out any great hopes for this one.

Surprisingly, this movie has some taut moments and manages to sustain a fairly creepy vibe throughout. There are some logic gaps in the story, and most of them have to do with police procedure, but even with those problems the movie ends up being very watchable. I was left a little unfulfilled by the ending, but overall it's a better than average thriller. Should have been a sleeper hit.

A sleeper hit IMHO...

[bigwhammer · 7/10 · 18 January 2005]

Gorin Visnic pulled this movie off well. I was unsure of his acting outside of ER. The movie has a cool plot, and there a few leaps we must make with character actions and general believability, but how many supernatural movies don't require such. I'm not saying call the Academy, but as mentioned this is a 'sleeper' movie that will entertain you if you enjoy the supernatural thriller genre. I was glad I rented it, and I'm a bit picky in general. It isn't the fastest paced film as it develops slowly, but you'll probably like it if you like Gorin. The female lead is credible as well, as is Gorin's wife in the film. The Supernatural element of the movie was a new one to me, which is further reason I'm taking the time to write this, as I thank those who have done such for me, as it drives a fair amount of my 'tweener' rentals. Ciao!

compelling psychological thriller

[Buddy-51 · 7/10 · 8 August 2005]

Written and directed by Nick Willing, "Close Your Eyes" (aka "Doctor Sleep") is a taut, highly effective British thriller that supplements its crime drama scenario with generous helpings of the supernatural and paranormal.

Michael Strother is a hypnotherapist who has returned to England with his pregnant wife and young daughter after seven years living in the States. Strother is asked by one of his patients, a policewoman named Janet Losey, to bring his professional expertise to bear on one of her most baffling cases, that of a little girl who's managed to escape the clutches of a serial killer but who has been rendered mute by the experience. Strother's involvement leads to complications not only with the highly skeptical police force who are less than thrilled at the prospect of having a hynotherapist working on the case, but with his wife as well who fears that any untoward publicity might reflect badly on her husband's career. Of even more concern is the fact that Strother's involvement might also be making him and his own family a target of the killer.

It would hardly be cricket to reveal much more of the plot here, so I'll just say that "Close Your Eyes" boasts a better-than-average storyline, intriguing characters, an effective back story involving Strother's past in America, and enough genuine suspense to help us ride up and over some of the inconsistencies and absurdities inherent in the material. And if the resolution comes out as a bit flatfooted - well, that doesn't wind up being too much of a handicap since weak endings seem to be just about par for the course when it comes to these types of films anyway.

The prime selling point of "Close Your Eyes" is that it makes us care about the characters, particularly Strother, who elicits our interest and sympathy from the start. Goran Visnjic and Shirley Henderson make an engaging crime-fighting team with just the right amount of unrequited sexual chemistry bubbling under the surface to add to the tension.

As a director, Willing frequently interrupts the narrative with free-floating flashes of dreams, memories and hypnotic suggestions, reflective of what is occurring in the minds of the characters. The effect is sometimes confusing but almost always effective in ratcheting up the level of mystery and feeling of dislocation necessary for the story. The film is a bit gruesome and gory at times, but the prime focus almost always remains on the character's interactions and the unraveling of the plot. This is a solid, well-crafted thriller.

Intriguing horror-thriller with creepy moments amidst the silliness.

[barnabyrudge · 6/10 · 8 August 2005]

A fairly intriguing horror-thriller which plays like a hybrid of Jonathan Demme's The Silence Of The Lambs and Gregory Hoblit's Fallen, Doctor Sleep (aka "Close Your Eyes") has a fair few effective moments. Some reviewers here on the IMDb have complained that the film is poorly directed, but I don't see where they're coming from. The film is unfussily directed, but to use the word "poor" is somewhat harsh. The plot - while fundamentally rather silly and hard-to-swallow - is at least quite unusual, and helps the film to come across as a reasonably original and unpredictable piece of hokum.

A psychiatrist with unusual telepathic powers, Dr Michael Strother (Goran Visnjic), moves from Seattle to London after his treatment results in the death of a patient and a subsequent witch-hunt by the American media. Once in London, he inadvertently gets drawn into the plight of a young girl, Heather (Sophie Stuckey - an excellent child actress), who recently escaped from the clutches of a wanted serial killer known to police as the Tattoo Murderer. Since her ordeal, Heather hasn't spoken a word, but ambitious policewoman Janet Losey (Shirley Henderson) hopes that Michael can find a way to get her to open up.... and maybe reveal a clue as to the killer's whereabouts. An internet geek with interests in occult history, Elliot Spruggs (Paddy Considine), is called upon to help and he gradually figures out that the killer seems to be following the methods of a 500 year old cult, the fundamental belief of which is that life can be prolonged and transferred from body to body, via a gruesome ritual involving blood transfusions (it is for these transfusions that the children have been taken by the Tattoo Murderer).

Doctor Sleep has some very creepy moments in spite of its unlikely premise. Visnjic plays the doctor quite well (he has a great, soothing voice which makes his psychiatric scenes particularly believable), though Shirley Henderson as the police lady doesn't register too strongly. The shocks are simple but effective, and the film generates an eerie atmosphere without resorting to full-on gore, nor falling back on the slasher movie mentality that seems to permeate too many recent horror flicks. There is a very chilling twist ending (which has been called confusing in several reviews and message board postings on this site - though in actual fact it is rather clever, not to mention disturbing, if you've paid close attention during the film). On the whole, Doctor Sleep is a solid, workmanlike chiller which achieves its modest aims with a degree of success.

Moody and Thoughtful

[Gafke · 7/10 · 26 February 2005]

Hypnotherapist Michael Strother experiences a psychic flash while trying to help policewoman Janet quit smoking. He mentions his vision of a young girl floating just beneath the surface of a stream to Janet, who tells him that the girl is Heather. Heather has recently escaped from the Tattoo Killer and has not spoken a word since. Michael very reluctantly agrees to help Janet in her search for the killer. Traumatized Heather reveals a few clues under hypnosis and geeky researcher Elliot provides still more with his research into the occult. Michael however has reason to worry. His insomnia is back, his guilty memories have been stirred up again, his heavily pregnant wife does not approve of what he's doing, and the killer pays a visit to his house in the dead of night, leaving behind an ominous warning. When Elliot turns up dead and Heather is kidnapped for a second time, Michael and Janet have little time left to discover the whereabouts of an ancient church...one of ten whose locations form a perfect pentagram on the map.

If you're looking for a fast paced splatter fest, filled with gore and excitement and gunfire, skip this film. If you can appreciate a slow, moody, thoughtful psycho- drama with a low budget and lots of good performances, this film is for you. There's plenty of violence, don't get me wrong. A hideous evisceration and a hungry rat make their appearance, but the camera mercifully looks away. For people with morbid imaginations, it is still a difficult scene to watch, as is the squirm-inducing lobotomy scene which fans of the film Session 9 will find familiar. The performances are great, particularly by Goran Visnij as the insomniac Michael who rarely smiles and always looks slightly haunted. He nevertheless seems to be a good husband to Miranda Otto (Eowyn from LOTR) as his heavily pregnant and hormonally irritable wife Clara. Miranda's American accent is flawless and she looks great. Her performance is totally believable. Shirley Henderson (Moaning Myrtle from the Harry Potter films) as Janet and Fiona Shaw (Petunia Dursley, also from HP) as the creepy Catherine Lebourg are both almost unrecognizable, turning in stoic, tight-lipped performances which are perfect.

Despite a somewhat predictable and downer ending, this film at least tries to be original and intelligent. The special effects used during the hypnosis scenes are clever and colorful and the mood throughout is heavy with dread. This is a good little film with strong performances, but it's not for everyone. Fans of mainstream horror may be bored silly, but fans of films such as the aforementioned Session 9 and the Chinese ghost story The Eye may enjoy this one as well.

Sleep it off

[sol1218 · 6/10 · 24 February 2009]

***SPOILER ALERT*** This group of cultists have been kidnapping young girls in and around London and, after giving them a blood transfusion, tattooing them. It turns out that little Heather, Sophie Stuckey, somehow escaped her captors but has since become unable to speak. Heather ended up spending all her time in a London Police safe-house staring aimlessly at the TV.

It's when London lady cop Janet Losley, Shirley Henderson, was being treated to stop her from smoking that she, in her subconscious, revealed to her hypnotist Michael Strother, Gran Visnjic, about the comatose Heather which he, in explaining her smoking habits, innocently revealed to her.

Knowing that Michael is on to something, in that there was no way he could have known about Heather, Janet literally blackmails him into helping her. Janet tries to get Michael to help her in not only getting into Heather's mind but in finding out who's behind her kidnapping and the murder of three girls who weren't as lucky as she was. As we soon find out Michael is in self imposed exile in London from the US after he "cured" one of his patients back in Seattle Washington.

The man that Michael "cured" was so deathly afraid of water that he wasn't even willing to take a bath or shower in it! After being "cured" by Michael he then jumped into a lake that was, in the early spring thaw, too cold to take a dip in. This had the poor guy lose consciousness, from a severe case of hypothermia, and drown! With him now being forced to solve the so-called "Tattoo Murders" Michael now feels he can redeem himself not knowing that he's about to become the killer's latest victim.

Extremely muddled story about this cult leader Francis Paladine,John Rogan, who's over 500 years old and uses the lifeblood of his victims, like Dracula,to keep himself alive forever. Michael puts his life on the line to get to the bottom of the "Tattoo Murders" only to end up on a slab with his blood being drained out by the mad Francis Paladine himself. It's only little Heather, after snapping out of her coma, that comes to Michael's rescue.

***SPOILER ALERT*** With all the bad guys put on ice in the city morgue for good we, and Michael, get the shock of our lives in the final moments of the movie which we all thought was going to be a happy ending. Were shocked to see this strange and bizarre finger pointing routine we saw earlier in the film by the real cult leader who, judging from the persons age and medical condition, didn't seem to have much long to go in this world. As it turned out the cult leaders "Lifeforce" was transfered on to someone else in order to keep the evil alive and active in its next incarnation. That someone else turns out to be someone that's very near and dear to both Michael & Janet hearts!

Bloodline...

[azathothpwiggins · 1 September 2020]

Michael Strother (Goran Visnjic) is just trying to lay low and make a living in England. He relocated to London, due to a career-ending catastrophe in the US. Now, he uses his ability as a hypnotherapist to help people kick their addictions. One of his clients happens to be a cigarette-smoking cop named Janet Losey (Shirley Henderson), who hopes that he can help her on a case, after Strother proves to have some psychic insight into it.

Strother is introduced to a little girl who hasn't spoken a word since being abducted by a mysterious serial-killer. She is the only one of multiple victims to survive. While working with the girl, Strother is drawn into something far more bizarre than any normal crime. Both he and Losey, with help from an odd toy maker named Elliot Spruggs (Paddy Considine), find themselves investigating an ancient occult conspiracy that just might be real.

CLOSE YOUR EYES is several things at once: It's a cracking crime thriller, a dark mystery, and a tale of supernatural horror. A grim atmosphere permeates the proceedings, soaking everything in gloom. The story itself is intriguing as well as terrifying, with ever more danger lying just around the next corner. We are never sure if anyone will live to see the end! The occult angle is used in a fresh, novel way, especially the 16th century tie-in, the use of church buildings, and Fiona Shaw's ultra-creepy character (the whole "finger tapping" thing is unforgettable!). It's a shame that this movie has been so overlooked. It's time for its rediscovery...

When I snap my fingers, you may enjoy your next cigarette...

[Coventry · 3/10 · 11 April 2024]

"Close Your Eyes", "Doctor Sleep" and "Hypnotic". How is it possible that a thriller has three different a.k.a. Titles, and all three of them are boring?! And how can you set high expectations for a supposedly compelling serial-killer flick if all three titles (and the DVD-cover, and the cast list).

"Hypnotic" - I'll go with the title on the DVD that I borrowed from a friend - is one of the most uninteresting and slowest moving thrillers I had the displeasure of viewing. The uncharismatic Goran Visnjic stars as an uncertified hypnotist specialized in helping people to quit smoking. When he "sees" the image of a drowning girl in the thoughts of a female police officer, she promptly recruits him to work on an unresolvable case. Her supervisors think it's a terrible idea, and they are right, but allow her to continue nevertheless. The hypnotist becomes obsessed with the case, satanists are involved, and blah blah.

Dull beyond words, overlong, completely devoid of thrills and/or gore, and every single cast member looks & behaves as if they didn't want to be part of this project. Admittedly, I was already half asleep by the third act, but from the looks of it, the climax was preposterous (shapeshifting, evil reincarnated, etc.). The plot of this film is even dumber than the idea of quitting to smoke via hypnosis therapy.

Insomnia

[jotix100 · 8/10 · 29 April 2004]

Nick Willing's thriller "Close your eyes" came as a total surprise as all I had read about the film was negative. Not only it is a mystery, but it keeps you engrossed in every twist and turn.

This is the story of an American analyst, Dr. Michael Strother, who is working underground in London, treating patients who want to quit smoking. The visuals of the opening credits and the session with detective Janet Losey, are done with a cinematic sense that shows a lot of style from the creative team behind the director.

This is a film that keeps the viewer engrossed in all what is happening on screen. There's never a dull moment as everything evolves in a logical and intelligent manner.

The acting is flawless. The casting of Goran Visnjic, as Dr. Strother is excellent, as this actor makes one feel as though what is happening to him is a reflection of his failure in America. With his good dark looks and accent, he creates a complex character without much effort, or so it seems.

As the detective, Shirley Henderson is equally good as the detective that will not give up in the pursuit of the evil force behind what has been done to the little girl at the center of the story.

The rest of the cast is equally good. Fiona Shaw's Catherine Lebourg is equally spooky as she is mysterious. Paddy Considine as Elliot, is a key in solving the case.

The film is for lovers of the genre. It won't disappoint.

Unusual thriller

[moviesleuth2 · 6/10 · 21 December 2009]

"Close Your Eyes" is an unusual thriller. The story and characters are not present in your typical entries into this or any genre. And although on that level I recommend the film, it falls way short of greatness due to its pedestrian direction.

A serial killer has been kidnapping and killing young girls around London. One girl named Heather has survived, but she isn't talking. After hypnotherapist Michael Strother cures Detective Janet Losey (Shirley Henderson) of her smoking addiction, he reveals something that she saw under hypnosis: an image of Heather floating underwater. She thinks that Strother can help her with her case, but he refuses. Eventually he relents, and gets pulled into a disturbing mystery involving some creepy science and mysticism.

Thrillers, especially those of this ilk, demand a strong sense of atmosphere. A story can be chilling in its own right, but it's up to the director to put us at an sense of unease so we can get sucked into the story. But although director Nick Willing can boast a few inventive visuals, he can't establish a sense of atmosphere where this unease can build. Films like "The Descent" built up the tension long before the monsters ever showed up, which made the second half downright terrifying; Willing isn't able to accomplish this; in fact, he doesn't seem to be able to try. Worse, he cannot establish a narrative flow. The film is poorly paced, and as a result it seems to start and stop at random moments.

This is especially unfortunate because the film boasts some impressive performances. Goran Visnjic uses his soothing voice effectively (even I was almost hypnotized by his voice), and the celebrated Croatian actor makes for a sympathetic protagonist. Shirley Henderson is rather stiff as the policewoman who believes that he can help (actually, she's the only one who believes this). Miranda Otto is underused as Michael's long-suffering American wife. However, Fiona Shaw and John Rogan are creepy in small but important parts.

This is an okay choice for those who are tired of the usual schtick from "thrillers," but it could have been a lot better.

I am feeling sleepy...

[The_Void · 5/10 · 3 September 2004]

After a promising start that sees our hero look into a female patient's mind whilst she is under hypnosis, this psycho-drama quickly degenerates into the realms of familiarity and becomes a rather turgid and dull thriller. The story follows that of Michael Strother (Goran Visnjic), a hypnotist that can also read minds. While treating a patient (Shirley Henderson) for smoking one day, he has a vision of a young girl drowning and we later find out that she is the only escaped victim from a serial killer known as 'The Tattoo killer'. Naturally, Michael gets drawn in to help the police with their investigation.

A film like this has no end of possibilities for imaginative and exciting sequences, but the movie features very little of them. The best scene...and only good scene, really, comes from the death of one of the central characters, which is one of the most disturbing and painful I have ever seen; an incision is made in his chest and then, while he's still alive, a live rat is inserted into the hole. The thoughts you could have about that are endless! The film does have a good aspect in that there is a lot of tension. Even though the characters are underdeveloped and we don't ever really feel the need to care for them; the film piles on the tension and some scenes are literally nail-biting. Notice I said 'some scenes', though...for every time it works, there's another time where it didn't.

Doctor Sleep is a film that was funded by the BBC, which is ironic as it feels very much like one of those drama series' that the BBC puts out. The director, Nick Willing is also the genius behind two other made for TV outings; remakes of Alice in Wonderland and Jason and the Argonauts. But it's not his direction that makes this feel like made-for-TV, it's the acting that does it. For the most part, it's awful! The actors don't look or sound like they are putting in any effort at all, and most of their voices sound very put on. The ensemble of actors that have been put together is a mixed bag indeed. Goran Visnjic stars, and he's not bad. He's never brilliant, but at least he's believable. Starring opposite him is Shirley Henderson. Her performance is the worst in the movie, and maybe one of the worst ever. She's a good-looking lady, but she can't act. Paddy Considine, who you may remember from the overrated "In America", appears for a little while and he's not bad, and Miranda Otto; the most impressive lady in Lord of the Rings, is very much wasted.

The script is also of note in this film. Of note for being really bad, that is. It feels, at times, like it has been written by a couple of eight year olds. No, that's unfair; a couple of eight year olds and a monkey, a clever monkey even (as stupid ones don't know how to write). Some of the things that the characters say are absolutely ridiculous and totally unrealistic, such as the exchange between Goran and the gasman, and the episode of about 5 minutes where, it seems, the scriptwriters have tried to give Shirley Henderson as many swear words as possible to say.

It's a shame overall as this could have been a decent thriller to rival the big American ones, had they have chosen a better lead actress, hired a professional scriptwriter, been more imaginative and not had the whole thing feel like a poor made-for-TV movie.... oh well.

An Unknown Great Thriller to Be Discovered by Viewers

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 2 July 2004]

In London, Michael Strother (Goran Vismjic) is a specialist in treatment for quitting smoking through hypnosis. His patient, the detective Janet Losey (Shirley Henderson), decides to use Michael's skills with the little girl Heather, who was kidnapped by a sick serial killer and escaped, but was speechless in shock. Michael gets involved with the investigation of Janet, threatening the safety of his own family. Along the story, weird mysteries are disclosed, having a hook in its open end for a possible sequel.

"Doctor Sleep" is an unknown great thriller. I saw this DVD on sale, and I decided to buy it just because it was very cheap. The introduction of the story is so good that I have decided to pay attention on the plot. What a surprise: it is indeed a spooky story, full of mystery, which makes the viewer tense, guessing whether it is a thriller or a horror movie. The direction is precise, using special effects only to create an atmosphere and cast has a good performance. This little gem deserves to be discovered by fans of thrillers full of suspense. Unfortunately, the DVD does not present any extra. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): 'Hipnose' ('Hypnosis')

Note: On 04 October 2021, I saw this film again.

disappointment

[gadix · 6/10 · 28 October 2003]

The movie started very interesting with very interesting subject And I truly believe it could have gone places with the plot But unfortunately it didn't deal with the main subject of the movie 'the hypnosis And the movie went to the direction of horror movie, that really remained me the series millennium ,and after 20 minutes it become B Movie which is a bad copy of Hanibal series

Doctor Will Put You to Sleep

[ThrownMuse · 3/10 · 15 December 2004]

In "Close Your Eyes" (aka "Doctor Sleep"), Goran Visnjic plays a hypno-therapist with a secret past that is currently living in the UK. He is enlisted by the police to help them find a child-murderer that...tattoos its victims. This is pretty much a by-the-numbers serial killer thriller until its totally unexpected and absurd climax. Shirley Henderson is fun to watch playing against type as a tough-as-nails cop, and the rest of the supporting cast (Miranda Otto and Paddy Considine) is solid as usual, but the story is boring and there is hardly any suspense. Skippable, unless you easily fall under Doctor Visnjic's hypnotic spell. I do not. My Rating: 3/10

Dreadful

[robertconnor · 2 September 2004]

I first noticed this movie when it was plastered all over the Paris metro in May 2004. It was made in 2002. It was never released in Britain. No accident! An appalling film... an international cast hamstrung by a script offering absolutely no character development and little truth, and most of the budget seems to have been spent on Goran, who does his familiar haunted and introspective 'ER' thing. Ms. Henderson is a brittle, theatrical actor who's voice sounds mannered and false, whilst Ms. Otto is utterly wasted. And I hope they paid Fiona Shaw handsomely to appear in this tosh. The whole thing plays like a British lottery-funded endeavour for a first-time feature length director.

A huge disappointment all round!

Well done, though not overly original

[MrGKB · 6/10 · 10 September 2005]

I love going to the library and finding movies I haven't seen. It saves me money, and I get to catch films, good or bad, that I would never otherwise have investigated.

"Close Your Eyes" (aka "Doctor Sleep," the title of the book that inspired it) is a pleasant find, a supernatural mystery that doesn't insult its audience's intelligence or rely upon showy effects to achieve its ends. It struck me as more akin to "Rosemary's Baby" than "Silence of the Lambs," and certainly has no relationship to "Scanners," despite the blurb on the DVD case. A BBC production, the film is unsurprisingly British in its low-key build toward resolution, and the very unhistrionic acting and direction. Actually, now that I think of it, "Wicker Man" comes to mind as the film it most resembles in terms of pace and atmosphere.

The leads are well-played, especially the mousily sexy Shirley Henderson, who first came to my attention in another UK film, "Once Upon a Time in the Midlands." Goran Visnjic is appropriately haunted and resilient as a somewhat telepathic hypnotherapist who is drawn into the manhunt for a serial killer (who turns out to be a bit more than that). Support from the likes of Miranda Otto and Fiona Shaw is right on the money, and even the child at the center of the affair is very good. The cinematography is appropriately non-showy, the art direction/production design is simple and effective, and the few "scary" set pieces are effective and memorable. The ending was a bit obvious, but thankfully not belabored, and so wrapped things up neatly. I would rate this film higher, but it strikes me as having little repeat viewability, unless perhaps one is obsessed with Ms. Henderson. Her understated performance as a determined police detective is a joy to watch, almost deceptively so, especially when her character's wry sense of humor peeks out from beneath the veneer of professional toughness. This is a woman I'd happily bring home for tea and crumpets, not to mention a few other things.

But I digress. Give this one a chance if you like murder mysteries slash supernatural thrillers with an emphasis on substance and not flash. You won't be disappointed.

A real psychological mind bender.

[jhpstrydom · 7/10 · 8 August 2009]

CLOSE YOUR EYES (a.k.a DOCTOR SLEEP) is a taut and intelligently crafted thriller that keeps you glued to the screen as soon as it gets started, I'm not going to sum up the plot, I'd rather just tell you go get the film, take it home, pop it into your player and press the play button, then let the film take you on a real psychological trip.

What I will do is tell you that the cast does a great job with their performances, the script is highly intelligently written and the direction is rock solid, if you're still having doubts about whether or not you want to see this film, I can't say anything that'll be encouraging, the comments I've posted on IMDb have been helpful to some and not so helpful to others, so what can I say to you that will get you to see this film besides that its a good movie? Just go and get this movie it is that good.

DON'T Close your eyes... or you'll miss a great movie!

[Troy2Slick · 7/10 · 10 April 2006]

I wasn't really expecting too much when my wife rented this film. It wasn't something that I had ever heard of before. I think that it was done very well and the acting was better than could be expected.

I absolutely loved some of the scenery and cinematography in this film. There are several breathtaking sceneries that will take your breath away. Even if they were all done by CGI, it was still beautiful and a breath of fresh air.

I'm not going to give any of the details away, but this movie relies more on the psychological aspect in giving it's chills and thrills. I loved the movie and I even loved the ending even more. It does a few surprise twist and turns and it won't be too obvious either.

Rent this one today!

Suspensal

[Ina_no_name · 4/10 · 11 June 2006]

I have never heard of this movie until it came on the TV one night and when I heard it was a thriller, I decided to sit up and watch it since I love thrillers. And English thrillers are the best, even a better reason to sit up. The story is creepy. A girl won't talk anymore after been through something traumatic and her mother is trying desperately to get her to talk about what happened. A hypnotyzer get contacted by an investigator that wants him to try to make that girl to talk. It's not easy but somehow he finally get to communicate with her. Together they are trying to get through the case and clear everything up. But they have to be careful, 'cause they don't know who they are dealing with.

Unusual Thriller works thanks to a sharp performance by Visnjic.

[hu675 · 8/10 · 2 September 2005]

A hypnotherapy's (Goran Visnjic) is been asked by a Scotland Yard Detective (Shirley Henderson) to help her solve a troubling case involving a Serial Killer and a little girl (Sophie Stuckey), who's been traumatized since she was captive by the Serial Killer.

Directed by Nick Willing made a strong, unique thriller mixing elements with the occult, a whodunit and a horror film. Visnjic is excellent in the film. The movie also stars:Miranda Otto from "The Lord of the Rings" series. Close your Eyes is a instant cult film with one of a kind premise. Based on a Novel by Madison Smartt Bell, which her novel is titled"Doctor Sleep". Which Bell also appears in a cameo in the opening scene. This film is also known as "Doctor Sleep" and "Hypnotic" outside the U.S. Never receive theatrically in the U.S. Super 35. (****/*****).

Well-paced thriller

[lastliberal · 6/10 · 25 October 2008]

Writer/director Nick Willing did a very good job of keeping the action moving in this thriller (also known as Close Your Eyes, and Hypnotic) that kept you enchanted throughout.

Of course, the premise of the story is a bit far fetched, that doesn't detract from a good mystery involving a Doctor (played perfectly by Goran Visnjic - "ER"), and a cop (Shirley Henderson - Moaning Myrtle in two Harry Potter films, and Jude in the two Bridget Jones films).

I really liked the way Henderson played the cop. She was believable in a story that didn't make a lot of sense outside the chase for the murderer.

Sophie Stuckey in her first film did a really good job as the object of the search.

Truly awful

[Charlie76 · 1/10 · 26 June 2005]

Without wanting to sound childish, I don't think there are words to describe just how bad a film this really is. I felt bad for some of the actors involved, and maybe the writer wasn't even that bad.. I'm really not sure because i couldn't see past the horrible directing. This might have been the most poorly directed film i've ever seen. It was bad in too many ways to bother elaborating very much, but if you saw this and did enjoy it then that's great; but speaking as someone that loves films (no not a film student), my advice is - don't even consider watching this, not even on the telly. It's 2 hours of your life you'll never get back. You could have been watching paint dry mate.

Gripping

[alfimima · 10/10 · 4 September 2004]

We all like a good mystery, this is a big wow!

Of course, it has the usual elements to get you going, the occult, a silent child, a sexy troubled hypnotherapist and a disgraced girlie copper plus fantastic cameo appearances by a host of fine actors.

When a movie feels like 10 minutes .............. you know you are engrossed.

Highly recommended, I was on the edge of my seat - you feel uncomfortable throughout.

You want to watch but are scared to.

There is no Hollywood hype, just good old fashioned sweaty palms.

I won't expand on the story as the tale should unfold ..........

You have to be in the mood for it..

[TylerDurden_FC · 6/10 · 30 December 2004]

As you can probably see, this movie is not very well known and the odds of many people reading this are highly unlikely. I had never heard of it until I saw it at Blockbuster in the "pre-viewed" buying section. I was skeptical of buying because I had never heard of it and my movie range is quite large. I bought it anyways, and I have to say I wasn't thrilled with it but I enjoyed it.

It's not the the type of movie you own and actually watch/want to watch like the regulars. However, if you're in the right mood, then you can thoroughly enjoy it. You can get into it. There are moments where you could scream at the characters in the movie for doing the typical, stupid, clichéd things that appear in most "suspense" movies. There are parts that will make you cringe possibly, if you're the squeamish type. Its all a matter of what type of person you are.

This movie is not completely original in all aspects, but neither are the Screams and Halloweens, but people still enjoy them. This is how I see this movie. It's not a well done, fantastic movie---It's just entertaining. With a pretty good and fitting ending I must say.

I gave this movie a 6.5/10

All mood and very little action

[Libretio · 3/10 · 31 January 2005]

DOCTOR SLEEP

(USA: Close Your Eyes)

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Sound format: Dolby Digital

A sleep psychologist (Goran Visnjic) 'blessed' with the ability to read minds is recruited by London police to probe the psyche of a traumatised little girl who recently escaped from an elusive serial killer.

Typical BBC stuff, all mood and very little action, though the murderer's identity and motives are certainly unique, and there's an extraordinary mind-reading sequence early in the film when Visnjic experiences an alternative 'twilight' reality where the killer seems to operate with impunity. In all other respects, however, the movie is dry as dust: Director Nick Willing (PHOTOGRAPHING FAIRIES) generates very little suspense, even as Visnjic stumbles closer to the maniac's identity, and William Brookfield's half-hearted script (co-written by Willing, based on a novel by Madison Smartt Bell) is timid in all departments.