I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

What could have been a derivative version of THE EXORCIST turns into something special in the hands of Hollywood director Robert Wise. AUDREY ROSE is a story dealing with reincarnation, a topic that doesn't get tackled too often in Hollywood. As such it feels fairly fresh and interesting, especially in the first half of the movie. The picture is blessed with a strong cast, none stronger than the great Anthony Hopkins whose character treads a fine line between creepiness and being sympathetic. He plays a grieving father convinced that a couple's daughter is the reincarnation of his own deceased child. I found that the film falls apart a little in the second half, turning into an EXORCIST clone at times, and failing to really do much with the premise; the ending is emotional but also a little hollow. But it's still beautifully made and far more intelligent than you'd expect given the genre.

Noticing a stranger hanging around them, a girls' parents begin to feel uneasy after he claims that his young daughter has been reincarnated into their daughter yet when a series of strange accidents begin plaguing the family they realize the deadly truth too late to stop them.This one didn't have that many positives. One of the biggest is the sense of realism attached to the whole affair in that there's a real sense of this outlandish concept actually happening. These are played out mostly as panic attacks which become much more dangerous as they go on, letting them have a sense of being built up effectively. This makes them seem like an action to be feared as what's going to happen to top the last one remains a big aspect of the film overall. The majority of these are based on the idea of reliving the car crash that killed off her older self or throwing the furniture around the room which adds a special bit of action with the final one being long and really agonizing while even the actions to soothe her are quite thrilling and take on a sort of uneasy feeling. The film's highlight is the action carried out in the playground where there's real suspense as the rush to stop it from happening and the genuinely disturbing act itself make for a great scene. It works beautifully and really manages to get the film's sole creep-out moment. The only other fun part is the central idea of possession here is uniquely carried out, coming from a really creative viewpoint and offering up something that feels new and fresh. Otherwise, this one wasn't all that terrific since this one does have some pretty big problems. One of the biggest problems is that there's really very little in here that is actually scary. While the constant freak-outs and erratic behavior might be unsettling for some, most of the time all it seems like is just a repetition of the same thing over and over again. After a while, it just produces a feeling of what room will it start in now which doesn't inspire any frights. That's not an entirely scary activity, and to have that become the sole purpose of the creepy behavior isn't that grand a concept since it simply feels like it's been seen before. This is also compounded by the relative lack of fear generated by the event. There's nothing in here that should make the viewer afraid of the act sense all it boils down to a young girl throwing screaming fits every now and then. Had the possession brought on more frightening acts or the fear of what the possessed girl would do under the influence of the victim would've been far more frightening. That is the film's biggest flaw, as well as not providing anything resembling an explanation for the events. That would've been a really rewarding aspect, had it ever been given why this was occurring. The last big problem is that it really feels drawn-out and could've been shortened quite easily with too many scenes that go on and have no real bearing on the film. These are the film's biggest flaws and keep the film from really making its mark.Rated PG: Language and Mild Violence.

...but unfortunately this film never did rise from its sorry mishmash of poor direction, acting and editing. I would recommend you give this one a miss and do something more interesting like inserting a sharp pencil into your eyeball. Whatever it is that makes a dreary movie, this one had it in spades. There was an air of desperation from the cast, especially Hopkins, who looked like an exasperated actor who was tired of the director's insistence on yet another retake. There was an air throughout of a consensus among the cast that this was maybe a bad idea, but hey, we're stuck with it. The stark contrast between such movies as The Omen is only too plain to see. This fails on all counts and to top that we have this wretched girl wailing and screaming in far too many long and wearing scenes. I watched this at home so I could at least mute her. Robert was very wise to show one of these horrible scenes through a window so we only saw her mouthing her ear-splitting racket. The courtroom scene was dire and why would the Indian guru type character appear in full tribal costume? Wouldn't a suit have been more appropriate for this occasion? This film laboured the plot and was boring throughout.

AUDREY ROSE is a thoughtful and superb supernatural thriller about reincarnation (with some Catholicism mixed in). The picture is directed by Robert Wise, whose previous work with THE HAUNTING, proves he is no stranger to these types of stories. In fact, AUDREY ROSE is so well made it screams for repeat viewings. Anthony Hopkins is featured in a key role, years before his frightening turn as the cannibalistic Hannibal Lector. He plays a man that has become convinced his young daughter-- killed in a terrible auto accident-- was reborn to an unsuspecting couple (Marsha Mason & John Beck). When the girl in question begins to experience powerful sensations of a past life, Hopkins steps out of the shadows and into their lives.