Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

ShangLuda Admirable film.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Gareth Crook Quite a cast list here and based on a Poe story, so you'd be forgiven for having reasonably high expectations. It's a bit formulaic though, full of Victorian deathly drama. Shadowy, creeping, slightly clunky script and obvious spooky string laden score. With all this mounting up, it doesn't look promising, but there's a dark humour which makes it quite entertaining and after the first half hour has passed, albeit a little predicable it does find its feet. The boundaries blur nicely between who is good and who is mad and it's all made the more watchable by Ben Kingsley, who although is dialling it in a bit, is still very watchable. Which is a good summary... watchable.

HotToastyRag On IMDb, Stonehearst Asylum is described perfectly in one sentence: "An Oxford graduate takes up a job in a mental asylum, only to discover that the new treatments are inhumane and there is more going on than meets the eye." That's all you need to know before watching this film, besides the all-star cast: Jim Sturgess, Kate Beckinsale, Michael Caine, Ben Kingsley, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeson, and Sinead Cusack. This is a fantastic movie, one that I would add to my lineup of Halloween movies, except that I wouldn't want to wait and only watch it once a year! Jim Sturgess plays the new doctor, and he's mature and charming, which shows a new side to his acting. Fans of his, or anyone who only knows him as "the Beatles guy", will be very impressed. Kate Beckinsale is beautiful and mysterious, providing a classy and luminous element to the otherwise spooky setting. Those who have seen Ben Kingsley and Michael Caine together in the hilarious film Without a Clue will be delighted to see them reunited, and with an entirely different screen relationship. . .While most of the film is scary, it's not filled with "gotcha" scares or gore. It's very tasteful, and puts the audience in a constant state of suspense rather than frightening them so much so that they won't be able to sleep that night. The lighting and sets truly transport the audience to the time period, and Joe Gangemi fleshes out Edgar Allan Poe's story wonderfully. Brad Anderson's direction includes a wonderful attention to detail, so that when you watch it for the second or sixth time, you're still getting more out of it. With a touch of humor—David Thewlis's character is named Mickey Finn—and an incredibly intriguing story, this is a film to treasure. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for Ben Kingsley's son Edmund, in the small role as Kate Beckinsale's husband! Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to some scary scenes, I wouldn't let my kids watch it until they're a little older.

saabrin I watched this movie mainly because one of the reviewers criticised the IMDb ratings stating that it was highly unjustified and that the movie deserved a 9. So I went ahead and watched it even though I almost always go by the ratings here and then watch a flick.First the good bit- Each and every actor was great in this film. The direction is tense just as it should be for a mystery/thriller movie and you are hooked from the very first scene. As the plot thickens, it shows much promise. I was actually surprised by the twist and then...everything spirals out of control and the suspense towards the end is actually a bit far-fetched/unrealistic and makes you feel extremely disappointed. I'm giving it a 6.5 because of the promise the plot brought to the table and because the actors were great and seemed to give it their all. But I'm vexed at the director who couldn't deliver a great thriller in its entirety when this had so much potential. Oh well, watch it on a rainy day and keep your expectations low. The acting will make up for it I guess.On a separate note, I wish IMDb adds .5 to their 1-10 rating scale.

derarbat I loved "Stonehearst Asylum" and consider it on top of the best films I've ever seen.I really had a great time enjoying this smart movie.It is brilliant psychological thriller movie.The story was very strong with interesting twists till the last moment of the film.I liked the characters and especially the lovely couple Jim Sturgess and Kate Beckinsale.It definitely deserves 10/10.I highly recommend it :)