The Skeleton Key (2005) 7/10

Starring : Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, John Hurt, Peter Sarsgaard
Director : Ian Softley
Running Time : 104 mins

Hospice nurse Caroline Ellis (Hudson) takes a job in New Orleans looking after an elderly man, Ben Devereux (Hurt) who has recently suffered a stroke, and whose wife Violet (Rowlands) is too old to be left on her own to care for him. As she learns the history of the house, Caroline soon discovers that the place may be haunted by the victims of a brutal murder, and who are out to get anyone who trespasses in the attic of the house which can only be opened using a special key.

I was surprised that this wasn’t the haunted house movie I was expecting. Technically there are no ghosts in the whole movie, and most of the scares come from atmosphere rather than outright jumpy moments. Without wanting to spoil the plot I won’t say any more, except that this was a surprising departure from the recent influx of horror movies which have inundated the silver screen over recent years.

You’ll like this if you liked : Candyman