The Skeleton Key (2005)
2005
PG-13
104 Minutes
Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller
A hospice nurse working at a spooky New Orleans plantation home finds herself entangled in a mystery involving the house's dark past.
User Review
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The Skeleton Key unlocks a door into the mysterious world of Hoodoo. Who do? You do. Marketed as a supernatural horror, I advise going into this without that presumption. This is very much a mystery thriller, accompanied by the occasional jump scare. Much to my surprise, it's a rather investing story that manages to absorb you into the spiritual world it sets out to portray. Occasionally nonsensical and bland, but spellbinding nonetheless. A young girl is hired as a caretaker for an isolated plantation house that is soon discovered to withhold a paralysing past. What segregates this film from other generic thrillers is the location. The dark dank swamps of Louisiana and the superstitious culture of its former inhabitants provide a layer of atmosphere needed to captivate the audience. The plantation house alone is formidable, with its intimidating attic and voluminous rooms. The eerie environment and its history justify the inclusion of spiritualism within the story. The titular object is put to use, although could've been utilised with more innovation than just unlock one ceremonious room of ritual paraphernalia that clearly should not be open (curiosity strikes once again). The characters themselves are surprisingly fleshed out, with a plethora of backstory to deduce certain aspects of the mystery. The Devereauxs remain puzzling, the estate lawyer looks conspicuous, and even the protagonist has traces of insanity. It keeps you involved, and I appreciate that. It's unfortunate that the third act casts a spell of hooey phooey than actual Hoodoo. A neat supernatural mystery suddenly shifts into clichéd Hollywood thriller and loses its own momentum. Some ritual segments were vastly underdeveloped, especially the conjures, which made me question Caroline's conviction of Hoodoo authenticity. Hudson was bland for the most part, although the supporting cast (particularly Rowlands) made up for her monotony. The ending is cruel, and may not be the resolution you desired. However this mystery remained engrossing for the most part, with its intriguing location and culture.0 member like this review.
