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The Return [2006]
![The Return [2006]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51NKrqbeP7L._SL160_.jpg)
In spite of the handful of slipshod faults in story and directorial force, she holds her own against the vibrantly dilapidated set decorations along with a variety of other equally important characters. There's a creepy ex-boyfriend, a disgusting being stalking a phantom woman she recognises from her psychosis-induced visions, and a hunky guy who's facing down mysteries from his own past. (Do they all intersect? Hmmm...) She even stands her ground against Sam Shepard, who is all but slumming it in his few scenes as her dad. He talks about an incident that forever changed her when she was 11 years old, but his weird allusions are as enigmatic as the film itself, which desperately wants to be better than it is. But The Return still carries its share of respectable fears that are made scarier by the effectively edited string of spooky noises and images. Together they add up to make a worthy entrant in the genre of understated ghost story. --Ted Fry
RRP: £17.99
Our Price: £2.80 (subject to change)
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
The Return is a drowsy, mildly creepy and unexpectedly well-crafted supernatural thriller that lays off the cheap thrill and gore factor in favor of the slow build up to fright and a twist ending that, while effective, may hit viewers as mostly out of left field. The Sixth Sense it ain't, but there's enough texture, style and ladled-on art direction to keep the eeriness palpable even through some of the more labored dialogue and plot contrivances. A chocolate-haired Sarah Michelle Gellar (what was wrong with her natural goldilocks?) plays Joanna Mills, some sort of traveling sales rep in a big pickup truck who journeys from her nightmare-disturbed life in St. Louis back to a small town in Texas that she sort-of remembers. Demons from the girlhood she once knew there come fiendishly together in a mishmash of flashbacks and present-day creep-outs involving murder, self-mutilation and spirits that have haunted her more than she knows. Gellar has become a go-to for glossy Hollywood horrorshows like this, thanks to her work in the Grudge franchise and the remnants of our memories from her Buffy glory days.
Not exactly a horror movie.
Review date: 2008-10-09 Rating: 10 out of 10
'The Return' isn't so much a horror movie in my opinion as it is a sort-of supernatural mystery. The advertising was very misleading but the actual film itself I really enjoyed.
SMG does a brilliant job as the lead, capturing the emotion perfectly, and kept me entranced right until the very end.
A clever, thought provoking piece of cinema.
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Reviews
Slow starting but worth the twist at the end
Review date: 2008-07-28 Rating: 6 out of 10
I must admit, I was ready to turn this off after the first 20-25 minutes, as there's precious little pace, patchy dialogue and no tension as we are introduced to the central characters of the film. Things improve steadily from there on, though, as the director plays on the dark atmosphere, and more and more unanswered questions pile up. By the end of the film it was all clicking into place with quite an unexpected twist guaranteed to have viewers admitting "I never saw that coming"!
Gellar turns in a good, solid performance as expected, and is supported well by mysterious, brooding Peter O'Brien and the chauvinist evil of Adam Scott. The supernatural theme builds well, and the central menace is as ugly and as horridying as you'd expect from Gellar's anxiety on screen.
Worth sticking with - it's a good film if you make it through the first half hour.
Dont waste your time with this pointless crap
Review date: 2008-07-04 Rating: 2 out of 10
This film is not good i bought it on sky box office it wasnt even worth that. It started of boring ended boring. Through the whole film i was thinking it will get better keep watching it but no the good parts never came. The story is utter crap wait is there even a story?Sarah michelle gellars acting is boring as is the film(what happen she was good in the grudge). This film wasnt scary one bit ok one jumpy which is it then it's just nonsense. I think i actually fell asleep half way through it's so boring i can go on allday about how bad this film is i mean i'd rather watch juno then this thats saying something. So wanna buy a good horror movie buy Rob Zombies Halloween Thats a horror film not this none story line piece of sh*t.Please dont waste your money on this i never usually say that but i am going to say it now this is a wast of your time.
Supernatural Thriller
Review date: 2008-05-21 Rating: 8 out of 10
Sarah Michelle Gellar plays Joanna Mills who is a traveling sales rep, a job she choose because it keeps her always on the move. We are introduced to her troubled childhood where she was involved in traffic accident. We do not know if the trauma to her head has given her visions of a man who is constantly stalking her that no one else sees. And when he appears, she actually hurts herself. But then, except for the damage she has done to herself, all is back to normal.
We flash forward to her adult life and getting reading to head home on business. But her true motive is to try and get some answers to her disturbing visions or memories. And as she enters her home area she starts to experience these episodes in increase frequency. The more visions or memories we see the closer we start to understand what is transpiring. And make no mistake; this is a mystery that you can try to solve before the answer is shown to you at the climax of the film.
I was pleased to see a true suspense movie that has an eerie feeling that makes you feel uneasy with no blood and gore that is so popular today. The use of shadows to enhance the suspense is reminiscent from the Alfred Hitchcock's methods. As another reviewer mentioned, Sarah Michelle Gellar carries the movie well. Her blind stare and almost zombie like presence captures the characters feelings and emotions beautifully." This is what we use to call a horror film. This is worth watching.
Sarah Michelle Gellar - so wrong for this role
Review date: 2008-04-27 Rating: 4 out of 10
I was so glad I rented this movie from Amazon instead of buying it - as I had been toying with the idea of it for much time after people saying it was a fabulous horror.
I feel that some people's opinions maybe greatly influenced by their appreciation of Sarah Michelle Gellar. She's been in some substantial movies but sadly this isn't one of them.
The story was too simple and I felt the story had already been done in various other movies I've seen.
Don't get me wrong, it's definately worth sitting down to but it relies on cheap scare tactics like heavy footsteps and fleeting visions. Personally, I think Sarah Michelle Gellar was wrong for this part as her "oh my god, I'm a troubled and tortured girl" persona is far too overdone.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Kate Beahan
Sam Shepard
Peter O'Brien
Adam Scott
Creators:
Sarah Michelle Gellar (Primary Contributor)
Peter O'Brien (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: Universal Pictures UK
Manufacturer: Universal Pictures UK
EAN: 5050582487176
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, PAL,
Release date: 2007-05-21
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 83 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2006
Language: English (Original Language)