Would Dakota Fanning be the next Natalie Portman, or Christina
Ricci? It's not a longshot, given the credible performance here in
Hide and Seek. I still remembered that she managed to stand on her
own against the enigmatic Denzel Washington in Man on Fire, and
here, she does a commendable job beside veteran Robert De
Niro.
The premise of the show suggests suspense, thrills and maybe
something of the supernatural perhaps? It explores the relationship
between a psychologist and his daughter, after their wife/mother
died in a suicide, or is it? What is the impact to a child who
witnesses the death of a parent?
Whilst the blood and gore are kept to a minimum, what you can't see
actually sends shivers to you. The buildup shows a lot of
potential, but too many red herrings and the pacing at the end
leaves much to be desired. Any alert movie goer will anticipate and
guessed the twist that is offered halfway through the film, and
once that is done, the narrative seems to drag itself into an
ending.
Robert De Niro breezes through his role - nothing new to offer
here, whilst Famke Janssen and Elizabeth Shue up the babe
factor.
Watch this not expecting a tight narrative or a shocking ending,
but watch this for Fanning's performance.
