W2TCH

The Sanatorium (2010)

2010 • 1h 13m • Horror, Comedy • TV-14
On October 3, 2026
#94121
94121st by Pulse movie online
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All reviews

Cyberknight on The Sanatorium

1/10 · Oct 20, 2019

*SPOILER ALERT* Don't keep reading if you don’t want me to spoil how badly this film concludes. This movie was made in the Found Footage style, which means shaky camera work, poor focus and framing choices, and generally low video and audio quality. The first thirty minutes consist of pointless conversations—things like showing employees reading or being interviewed during their workday—along with people constantly coming and going (stuff that seems to have been kept in just to pad out the film’s running time). There's also a clown, but it isn't funny. All of this was completely unnecessary because it didn't build any tension; they could have easily conveyed all of that through dialogue at the sanatorium itself. The only bit of relevant information we get is that there’s supposedly a ghost of a nun haunting the place, without any explanation as to why (if they had said she was Mother Teresa of Calcutta or someone who followed her teachings, it might have made sense). The next twenty-five minutes are just random wandering around inside and outside the sanatorium, with some “supernatural” events—practical and visual effects—happening sporadically. Some of these moments were mildly interesting, but most felt like filler to extend the film's length. A character suffers a severe electrical injury in an accident that has nothing to do with the story. The final twelve minutes pack in all the real action and scares, as unseen spirits drag people around and eventually kill off some random characters off-screen. Only in the last three minutes does one of the characters—the producer, who is the most irritating person on screen—die visibly at the hands of an invisible spirit (which I wouldn’t even call “evil” because everyone seemed to want him gone). Then the survivors pile into a van and attempt to escape, only to be killed off-screen by the nun mentioned earlier, as she appears inside the van. These are implied deaths, since there aren't even sounds to confirm that anyone will be back for a sequel. The credits then roll for four minutes afterward. Two of the worst parts of the film occur during those final twelve minutes: 1) The producer’s on-screen death is shown from multiple (low-quality) camera angles and takes, which would be impossible with just one camera. It seems to try and create a sense of realism while also providing some “nice” gore for fans. From a cinematic perspective, this is good because it improves the visual storytelling; however, given that it’s supposed to be Found Footage, it completely ruins any feeling of authenticity. It's simply foolish. 2) One character goes insane in a way reminiscent of H.P. Lovecraft after seeing something on the CCTV cameras installed by the staff. The other characters rewind and watch the recording... but whatever was so terrifying that could drive someone mad just by watching it on a screen is never shown, because the cameraman just films the reactions of the other people (what’s this, YouTube?!), instead of pointing the camera at the monitors! That's unbelievably frustrating. Fifty-five minutes of boredom to get twelve minutes of ridiculous action. Just skip this one.

Source on TMDB