http://www.hollywood.com/movies/reviews/movie/2433033
Story
David Callaway (Robert De Niro) is having a tough time dealing with
the apparent suicide of his wife (Amy Irving). His young daughter,
Emily (Dakota Fanning), also has taken her mother's death very
hard, retreating into her own little world. As a psychologist,
David decides the only way to help Emily is to move from the big
city to a house in the country. Sure, that kind of thing usually
works like a charm. Emily does perk up a bit when she finds a new
"friend," Charlie, who likes to have fun and play hide and seek
with her. Of course, we can't actually see this new friend but
that's beside the point. The imaginary Charlie is still a powerful
force in Emily's life, instructing her not to talk about him much
and hating pretty much everyone else in her life, including her
dad. In short order, bad things start happening--yes, the family
pet gets whacked--which Emily blames on Charlie. This leaves David
wondering how his little girl could have turned so psychotic. But
wait. Maybe Charlie isn't imaginary after all, but actually a
flesh-and-blood, malevolent presence. Oh god, do you think
so?
Direction
It is always disappointing when the promise of something
potentially creepy turns out to possess the same old tired plot
points and scare tactics seen countless times before. Director John
Polson--best known for helming Swimfan, another predictable
stalker-gone-mad thriller--and novice screenwriter Ari Schlossberg
don't have the necessary skills to take Hide and Seek above and
beyond its conventional trappings. To its small credit, the film
does build a bit of tension in the beginning as David and Emily
skirt around each other, trying to grasp onto some kind of
normalcy. Then when Emily introduces Charlie, you continue to hold
out hope that somehow the filmmakers will channel some of M. Night
Shyamalan's aura and start really scaring the bejesus out of you.
But alas, it isn't meant to be. Instead, you're sitting there,
pretty much guessing every move the film is going to make before it
happens. When the twist finally comes around--you knew there was a
twist, right?--it doesn't really surprise you, whether you've guess
it or not.
Bottom
Line
Even though Hide and Seek's chilling tag phrase--"Come out, come
out, wherever you are!"--may be enticing, just stay right where you
are. Don't even bother venturing out to see this unoriginal
thriller.
