Sunday, June 11, 2006

HALF LIGHT

Demi Moore, Hans Matheson, Kate Isitt, Henry Ian Cusick, Beans El-Balawi

"Believe in the Beyond"

Rachel Carlson is a novelist who tragically lost her only son, Thomas. In order to move on with her life amidst the terrible grief, she moves to this cottage in a remote part of Scotland. A scenic spot on earth accentuated by a towering lighthouse right across from her cottage. In Scotland, her grief makes her paranoid when she sees signs of her son everywhere. She meets Angus, the guardian of the lighthouse. They become friends. She needs him for research about lighthouses for her latest book. He seems like a lonely man who could use some company.

But something is amiss. Things aren't as they seem. Several questions surface. Could her son be communicating from the great beyond? Is he warning her of certain dangers lurking in the lighthouse? Or is she merely going insane? Who exactly is Angus? Is this another ghost story?
What good will it do if I answered all these questions? I don't want to reveal too much. But suffice to say, yes it is a ghost story but no it isn't the boohoo howling with white sheets scary sort of a ghost tale.
There are a few twists thrown in. Maybe if you are keen enough you can figure it all out in the middle part of the movie. I certainly didn't but I like to be surprised and let the suspense sustain my attention till the very end.
Demi Moore who hasn't made much movies lately except for that kick ass looking babe role in "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" looks a bit haggard. She still projects well though on screen. The others are unknown British and Irish actors but they come across believable.
I thought the plot took a while to get to the thrilling parts in the end. Then once it unfolded the director realized it was too long so he rushed to give the movie some credible ending. He did. It was a good closure both for Rachel Carlson and for the film.

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