WHAT LIES BENEATH
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2000 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): *
Welcome to SCREAM 4? With first-time screenwriter Clark Gregg's clich�d
script for WHAT LIES BENEATH, containing the worst ending of any movie
this year, the only hope for director Robert Zemeckis (CONTACT) would
have been to try for a horror movie spoof. But this was not to be. He
and his fine actors (Harrison Ford as Norman and Michelle Pfeiffer as
his wife Claire) approach their work with dead seriousness.
To be fair, most of the movie isn't bad, it just treads water. The
characters' actions are easily guessed and the movie borrows liberally
from many other films, including, among others, REAR WINDOW, FATAL
ATTRACTION and IN DREAMS.
But then there's that last reel when all hell breaks loose on the
screen, and the script dredges up every unbelievable clich� you've ever
seen. The characters' actions become so preposterous that you'll be
laughing out loud at how ridiculous it all is. Insulting the viewer's
intelligence left and right, Claire will do everything that anyone who
has ever seen a horror movie knows not to do. Not many movies make me
angry, but this one did. Doesn't the director think we deserve better
than this?
As the film starts, we meet Norman and Claire, two relatively happy new
empty nesters. Their daughter is off to college, so they are ready to
see if they can have such wild sex that they can make more sexual noise
than their neighbors.
Soon this state of bliss is interrupted when a ghost starts disturbing
Claire. We can't be sure it's a ghost. Claire had this big accident a
year ago, you see, and she has lingering problems, which are only
alluded to.
Just like Jimmy Stewart did in REAR WINDOW, Claire starts spying on her
new neighbors. She becomes convinced that the husband has killed his
wife, and that the ghost is the dead wife. After all, the neighbors had
a fight. The wife's car is in the garage, but she isn't at home. And
-- the real proof -- Claire sees the "murderer" eating a TV dinner
alone. This whole episode is kind of cute and the high point of a show
that doesn't have many.
Finally, there are those ubiquitous trailers that contain more spoilers
than I've ever seen. If you haven't seen the trailers, you may be able
to enjoy the first part of the movie a bit more since it puts a little
suspense into it. Knowing the key points given away in the trailers
make that impossible.
Still, whether you've seen the trailers or not, nothing would make a
movie with such an insulting ending bearable. If you do go to the
movie, walk out before the last ten minutes or so. You'll be glad you
did.
WHAT LIES BENEATH runs a long 2:10. The film is very incorrectly rated
PG-13 for terror, violence, sensuality and brief language. It should
have been an R given the intense level of violence and fright. It would
be acceptable for older teenagers.
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Have I seen this movie: Yes
And what did I think: What Lies Beneath is a slow moving, cliche filled thriller that saves the thrills for the end. I was getting bored throughout most of the movie, waiting for something interesting to happen, and while there were a couple of jumps, nothing too big. The film stars Michelle Pfeiffer as Claire, the wife of a professor played by Harrison Ford. She must deal with the issues of her daughter leaving for college and her husband obsessed with his work. She begins to hear voices in the house and believes the woman next door was murdered by her husband. Throughout most of the film we have to figure out what the heck is going on because it doesn't give us much clues about what happened to Claire in the past other then from photos. Then we have to figure out who is haunting her. We think it's the woman next door but we find out otherwise. Much of the story I found rather confusing, but I enjoyed the plot twist at the end. The bathroom scene between Claire and Norman was done quite well I think. Some of the shots of Claire in the tub reminded me of Psycho. We also see here a much different Harrison Ford then what we are used to. I think it would have made this a better film if he was on screen more. Still, Ford definately needs better roles then what he has been playing lately. I think he should go back to the action format. At least is some nice cinematography here with the New England surroundings providing an eerie atmosphere. It doesn't quite save the film and What Lies Beneath misses the mark in providing a real thriller throughout the film, only at the end. I'd rent it instead.
I give What Lies Beneath 3 out of 5 stars
Review written July 24, 2000
