The Quiet Ones (2014)

Streaming Service: Amazon Prime

Movie Name/Year: The Quiet Ones (2014)

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Length:  98 minutes

Rating: PG-13

Production/Distribution: Caffeination, Exclusive Media Group, Hammer Films, Traveling Picture Show Company, Lionsgate, Batrax Entertainment, A Company Hungary, A Company Russia, Alfa Films, Cathay-Keris Films, Delta Films, Entertainment One, Independent Films, Innoform Media, Key Films, Lionsgate UK, Scanbox Entertainment, Umbrella Entertainment, Ascot Elite Entertainment Group, Divisa Home Video, Film & TV House, Film1 Action, Front Row Filmed Entertainment, GEM Entertainment, Tanweer Films, Zon Audiovisuais

Director: John Pogue

Writers: Craig Rosenberg, Oren Moverman, John Pogue, Tom de Ville

Actors: Jared Harris, Sam Claflin, Olivia Cooke, Erin Richards, Rory Fleck Byrne, Laurie Calvert, Aldo Maland, Max Pirkis

Blurb from IMDb: A university professor and a team of students conduct an experiment on a young woman, uncovering terrifyingly dark, unexpected forces in the process.

Cat’s Point of View:

Where do I even begin? This movie was a bit of a hot mess. I really try to find positives in everything I watch. I don’t like the tendency that professional critics have of finding ways to tear down projects that they don’t particularly like. That being said, I’m struggling a bit here.

When I searched for John Pogue (U.S. Marshalls, The Skulls, Quarantine 2: Terminal) on IMDb, I learned that he has penned the screenplay or has produced several movies that I have really enjoyed over the years. The Quiet Ones is the second credited movie he has directed. Perhaps it’s the transition from one ‘hat’ to another that he’s still working on? I can only speculate.

The premise of the film is interesting. I watch a lot of paranormal-related shows, as I’m fascinated with such interactions with ‘energies from the beyond’ so to speak. The science behind modern ‘ghost hunting’ specialists is also intriguing. I’m familiar with the theory that a person with latent ability can manifest a poltergeist without even realizing it – especially females entering puberty. To cut to the chase, inducing such a person to manifest seems plausible enough that it should be able to carry the story. I suppose it was moderately successful there – but only by the bare minimum.

The fact that this movie is based on actual events is what lies at the core of what is horrifying to me. To think that a girl was actually put through the experiences that the character Jane Harper goes through is sickening. Whether it actually yielded results or not, it was tantamount to torture.

There are some loose ends waving around in how that process ties with the other plot nuggets that are woven into the film. I feel like I’m left with more questions than anything. That is sometimes the hallmark of a good mystery. In this case, it’s just unnecessarily complicated.

Aside from the annoying shaky-cam that comes with movies that show you the story literally through a character’s camera lens, the audio was a bit disjointed. I get that part of it may have been for dramatic effect and to make sure that jump-scares were more effective. I just found it tedious that one moment sounds were normal, then everyone is talking so softly that you have to turn the volume up and/or rewind to understand what they’re saying. Then suddenly the sound blares up again. It left me scrambling to adjust the volume over and over again since I was watching this movie at night while my family was sleeping. They don’t have the same appreciation of the horror genre as I do.

I wish I could find something more positive to say about this film, alas I could not in good conscience recommend this one. Perhaps die-hard fans of some of the cast members might take more away from the experience. I like the actors well enough, but not enough to give me blinders on The Quiet Ones. 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 37%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 25%

Metascore – 41/100

Metacritic User Score – 4.5/10

IMDB Score – 5.1/10

CinemaScore – None

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 2/5

P.S. There’s a short scene and images during the credits.

Movie Trailer: