The Gathering (2002)

Despite promise throughout, THE GATHERING is a rather weak slice of horror that proves perfectly watchable but comes across as an extended episode of MIDSOMER MURDERS more than anything else. It has that cosy TV movie feel to it, despite the odd burst of violence, and the play-it-safe script from popular author Anthony Horowitz doesn't break new ground at any point.

The story begins with an American tourist involved in a car accident where she obtains a serious head injury. Suffering amnesia, she goes to live with a household in a village, and soon grows close to a young boy in the family. However, she's plagued with violent premonitions of his death. Meanwhile, the boy's father is uncovering the mystery of a mural depicting the last days of Christ.

THE GATHERING is a sometimes-atmospheric production that occasionally brings to mind the air of spooky mystery in something like THE WICKER MAN. Unfortunately, more often than not it falls flat, thanks to weak plotting and a generally unfocused storyline. Christina Ricci feels out of place and it doesn't help that her character is one of those protagonists who doesn't actually have anything to do with the main storyline. Ioan Gruffudd is there for his looks alone, although Stephen Dillane (GAME OF THRONES) is more interesting as the father figure. The likes of Kerry Fox, Robert Hardy, and Simon Russell Beale barely get a look in during this oddly muted and non-suspenseful tale.

Fmovies: This film is a perfect example of a great concept stuck in a very sedated and mediocre film. What could have been a very engaging, thrilling, possibly cult status film, is nothing more than an hour and a half of slow pacing and uninspired events.

Filled with clichés from start to finish, this film just never catches on and becomes far to predictable. Sadly, the ideas conveyed through the film and the overall concept are not done justice by the filmmakers. The film is just not that interesting.

Ricci has seen far better days and, especially with her Indie popularity at this time, I am surprised she took this role. Ricci's almost forced acting gives the idea that she wanted off the set as soon as possible. She has done much better. As for the other actors/actresses, there is nothing remarkable or even worth noting.

Its too bad. This film could have been so much more and its sad that the concept was wasted on this film. Maybe, somewhere down the road, it will come up again in a film, but in a film that is far more engaging and intelligent. I wouldn't mind.

Although The Gathering is not my favorite biblical horror film, this movie was really entertaining. Christina Ricci acted fabulously, of course, and all the lines and scenes were edgy and new. I really loved how when there would be something that is supposed to be creepy or scary, they would not play stupid irritating music. They would just let it happen without any rhythms or beats, and I found that interesting and respectable. The twist I would say is really awesome. I would have never suspected it, and it came without warning which really blew my mind. The lines are good, and I might say some material was sleezy, cheesy, and cheap, but for the most of this movie the dialogue was steady. I had never heard anything about this movie when I first watched it, and now I consider a very good movie. I own it and plan on watching it again real soon.

The Gathering fmovies. Interesting film, I very much enjoyed the clever twist at the end (which I admit I wasn't expecting until close to the very end).

Relying on mysterious early-Christian mythology (a common theme in several recent films) it pulls the tie-in off fairly well and doesn't seem too outlandish or over the top in a supernatural sense.

Christina Ricci as always engenders feeling for her likable character and manner; as an American she seems a little strangely out of place in the English countryside setting but not overly so.

I'm quite Comfortable giving this film 8.5-9/10 and would consider it above films such as Lost Souls, etc. I've seen some compare it to the 6th Sense but I can't say I really agree with that comparative assessment myself.

I have to say, I've seen some very contradicting reviews of this film, so even though I have to give it "two thumbs up", obviously there are others with exactly the opposite opinion.

I've heard comparisons to "The Sixth Sense" and "The Exorcist", and my first comment is that I believe this film stands alone. I didn't see those other movies because I had no desire to, and although I've seen bits and pieces of them since, doing so changed nothing for me. Neither their trailers nor pieces of them impressed me, or intrigued my need for a real mystery.

Ever since the first time I saw a "making of" for "The Gathering", however, it sparked my interest.

And I believe, without comparing it to any other film, this movie comes through.

In the opening, it begins like a "classic horror", because there is "tragedy" (read that: blood). When Christina Ricci's character, Cassie, comes on the scene, there is the mystery of Who She Is - she doesn't know, no one knows. Although the character didn't really seem to have much depth, at least in the beginning, I didn't see that as as major drawback. How can someone with amnesia be deep?

Then the rest of the story unfolds: the uncovering of a major historical find with religious connections and sinister spiritual overtones. The appearance of people that Cassie believes may be following her or are at least Up To No Good, the visions that she has - all gruesome or violent, the child who won't speak but who seems to share her visions and growing panic, the church's establishment of what seems to be verifiable supernatural occurences throughout history related to the historical find and the people that Cassie sees. And the always-nagging question - Who Is She? and What Is About To Happen?

Maybe I am more naive than those cynical folks who didn't enjoy this movie. I don't go to classic horrors where blood is spilled everywhere, but I have seen almost every "devil" or "church" or "witch" movie I can get my hands on (without mass murdering, that is), as well as quite a few in the "thriller" genre.

And I would say that the suspense I felt while watching this movie was well-established. I tried to guess Who She Was, and I tried to guess What Would Happen Next, but for at least 2/3 of the movie this just wasn't possible for me.

For me, the "surprise" ending really was a surprise, although it unfortunately wasn't really the ending. I think the only drawback for me was that after the "surprise" was revealed, the movie went on to become more obvious, and the last scene seemed by then rather superfluous. Having said that, this didn't negate my overall enjoyment.

So I say, if you like "psycho-thrillers" (or whatever this genre is actually called), this is a movie for you. If you want rich character development and everything discussed and examined about the profoundness of being human and dealing with life-altering decisions, you need to pick a different movie.

"The Gathering" is a film that ironically never gathers much steam. Gorgeous locations in the British Isles are wasted on a story that feels like it's building towards something, yet never arrives at anything worthwhile. The story in fact gets quite boring during the early first half of the movie. I sat through this uninteresting mess hoping for an exciting climax to make my hourlong wait all worth it, but I never got one. Instead there was the predictable "twist" ending that I was fearing. What seems like a slow beginning continues through a slow middle then gracelessly plows into a slow conclusion.

The acting ranges anywhere from adequate, to fairly well done, to student film-ish. Christina Ricci is most certainly the only actor in this film that you will have even heard of (although Ioan Gruffudd who plays her like interest in this film will soon be starring in the sure-to-be-blockbuster "Fantastic Four" film). She does well enough here, but where has she ever done any worse than well enough? She has recently been in "Monster," "Prozac Nation," and "Anything Else." Unless you are a megafan and absolutely HAVE to see everything Ricci is in, skip this one and see any of those others.