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 The night after I saw The Others, I went to see Session 9 out of curiosity, again, knowing very little about it, during its opening weekend. Session 9 centers on a team of asbestos removers working to renovate a closed mental institution. The job would take three weeks, but desperate for work, the four men of Hazmat Elimination Co. opt to do it in two. When they are told that there would be a $10,000 bonus if they could get the job finished in a single week, they reluctantly conform to work like hell under the overwhelming, disturbing backdrop of an ominous insane asylum. The character dynamics of the team leader, Gordon (Peter Mullan), his friend and right-hand man, Phil (David Caruso), the astute and curious law-school drop-out, Mike (co-writer, Stephen Gevedon), and the arrogant ... who stole Phil's girlfriend, Hank (Josh Lucas), as well as Gordon's young nephew, Jeff (Brendan Sexton III), are what drive the movie. It becomes a haunting psychological thriller that will jolt you and compel you with its spectacular visuals, superb acting, and extraordinary integration of the real-life Danvers institution with amazing recordings from the actual asylum used as the hook of the movie. As the four workers become more immersed in their rigorous one-week elimination deadline, the atmosphere of the deathly place begins to consume them. Writer-director Brad Anderson was looking through the abandoned Danvers institution, and was suddenly inspired to write a screenplay that has become Session 9: a fictional plot based on frightening truths. The dark, fearless movie is not nearly as much fun or even as satisfying as The Others. Most likely it will leave you with an unsettling feeling, possibly hungry for more answers. It may be a bit heavier and less exciting, but it is equally intense, and still an exceptional movie.
After seeing the film, I read that the mental patient tapes that are used in the plot of the movie are based on real tapes recovered from the abandoned mental hospital where filming took place. This is a great, great movie. SEE IT!! |
I was very disappointed with this movie. There was too much profanity and too much gore - for my taste.
Take a talented filmmaker, add a cast of five interesting characters, throw in an abandoned insane asylum, with a dash of the supernatural and you almost have Session 9. This is one of those rare horror movies that actually sticks with you after the lights come up and thats a good thing. The only other work i've seen from the talented Brad Anderson is the romantic comedy Next Stop Wonderland, which was much more enjoyable than most romantic schlock. The movie stars David Caruso who's been out of the spotlight for far too long.... The rest of the cast is surrounded by relative unknowns that do a [heck] of a job with the material. The real star of this movie though is the asylum itself, if you thought the Overlook hotel was menacing in the Shining then you'll love this building, complete with an inmate graveyard. The movie is a little more slower paced than most horror movies but the characterization is amazing and if you saw the equally great "The Others" then you know what i'm talking about. If your looking for a good horror movie that is not cut from the Scream mold find this gem of a movie near you. I can only pray that it will get a wider release so I don't have to travel an hour for a second viewing
