Released in 2005, “The Skeleton Key” takes the chills of the superstitious and wraps a horror thriller around it. Written by Ehren Kruger and directed by Iain Softley, “The Skeleton Key” infuses elements of the hoodoo voodoo rituals and culture of the deep south into a horror mystery that’s decent, but not overly memorable.
Caroline Ellis (Kate Hudson) is a hospice worker that shows her being more devoted to patients than the standard requirements. The death of a close patient opens the movie, and brings her to a private care job in the deep swamps of southern Louisiana.
The visuals are great, and director Iain Softley successful conveys bayou life and Cajun culture. Caroline arrives at an old plantation home that time has clearly forgotten. She is charged with caring for stroke victim Ben (John Hurt) who is said to have less than a month to live.
Ben’s wife Violet (Gena Rowlands) is “Old South” in description, critiquing Caroline for her tattoos and non-southern accent. “You here how she talk?” She asks the estate attorney Luke (Peter Sarsgaard). “Who knows where she comes from.” To which Caroline comically replies “Hoboken New Jersey.”
“The Skeleton Key” focuses primarily on Caroline Ellis and rightfully so. Kate Hudson is mesmerizing in her beauty and almost distracting to watch. Her character is likable and believable with ample depth to get a grasp on a backstory.
Violet gives Caroline a skeleton key which is said to open every door in the giant home, save for the attic. Caroline notices odd things right away such as no mirrors anywhere in the massive mansion and strange sounds emanating fro the locked attic. As she begins her care of Ben, the house itself seems to be trying to tell her something more serious is at play.
“The Skeleton Key” unravels a mystery that sees Caroline’s skeptical and scientific nature challenged by the ambiguous nature of voodoo curses. “You want to be a nurse.” He friend chastises her at one point. “And you just walked out of a witch doctors.”
Whats odd for horror is that the end of the movie is great and actually redeems some of the lag in the middle.
A decent movie, “The Skeleton Key” fails at scares and finishes more as a mystery that a horror film.
by – Matt Christopher
