Red Lights2012
Red Lights (2012)
TOMATOMETER
AUDIENCE SCORE
Critic Consensus: Wasting the talents of an impressive cast on a predictable mystery, Red Lights lacks the clairvoyance to know what audiences want.
Red Lights Photos
Movie Info
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Cast
as Tom Buckley
as Simon Silver
as Dr. Margaret Matheson
as Sally Owen
as Paul Shackleton
as Monica Hansen
as Ben
as Leonardo Palladino
as Nina
as Benedict Cohen
as Jim Carroll
as Michael Sidgwick
as Sarah Sidgwick
as Susan Sidgwick
as Traci Northrop
as David Matheson
as Interviewer ('70s)
as Young Simon Silver
as Dana (TV)
as Dick (TV)
as Lucy Marconi (Theater Booth)
as Fiona Stewart
as Female Reporter #1
as Female Reporter #2
as Female Reporter #3
as Male Reporter #1
as Male Reporter #2
as Male Reporter #3
as Male Reporter #4
as Female Reporter (sprc)
as Male Reporter (sprc)
as Man in the Bathroom
as Corrine
as Stevie
as Stevie's Father
as Pilot
as Female Doctor
as Bodyguard
as Standing Spectator
as Katia Novikova
as Judi Cale
as Richard Vargas
as Girl with Piercings (TV)
as Guy (TV)
as Biker (TV)
as Woman in a Wheelchair
as Sally's Father
as Sally's Mother
as Policeman
as Doctor Campbell
as Doctor Jennings
as Doctor Heynes
as Professor Franklin
as Serio-Student in Magna Room
as Student in Magna Room
as Notebook Man
as Indigent Woman
as Old Man on the Bench
as Teenager on the Bench
as Martin Weiner
as Psychic Surgery Patient
as Tom's Soldier Son
as 45-Year-Old Sally
as Older Sally
as Beadle
as Maria Vargas
as Dorina Vargas
as Man in Bathroom #1
as Man in Bathroom #2
as Decoy
as Presenter #1
as Presenter #2
as Radio Duo Female Voice
as Radio Duo Male Voice
as Susan Sidgwick
as Howard McColm
News & Interviews for Red Lights
Critic Reviews for Red Lights
All Critics (94) | Top Critics (40) | Fresh (28) | Rotten (66) | DVD (3)
The fact that Red Lights' action doesn't operate in a recognizable universe, however, is a constant problem.
A clever thriller, bolstered by three great performances.
The film doesn't offer the sense of release, or of surprise, that it seems to take for granted.
"The X-Files" is long gone. Hail and farewell. But its spirit lives on in "Red Lights." Hail, hail.
By strict definition, any movie featuring Robert De Niro as a spoon-bending clairvoyant superstar ought to hold a few cards up its sleeve.
It's nonsense on a plot level but played seriously without nearly enough personality or edge. Even the film's undeniably talented cast can't save it.
Audience Reviews for Red Lights
A pair of paranormal investigators who specialise in debunking self-proclaimed "clairvoyants" go head to head with a renowned psychic who comes out of retirement. Rodrigo Cortes' supernaturally themed thriller has many of the hallmarks of the projects of the likes of M. Night Shyamalan in that it's nicely shot, directed with some panache and has managed to attract some big names to the cast. Unfortunately it has also inherited their hokiness and reliance on telegraphed twists that are all to obvious to anyone with any cinematic literacy. Red Lights does have its moments thanks to the superior cast and the cinematography is attractive and atmospheric but as always seems to be the case with the genre, the initial intrigue is far more entertaining than the pay off. In the end it feels over-long and anticlimactic despite a potentially interesting final twist in the tale and more like a decent episode of The X-Files than a big budget movie. Christopher Nolan has made a career of doing this type of thing, but doing it much better.
Super Reviewer
Tom Buckley: And today it'll be over...for you and for me. "How Much Do You Want To Believe?" Red Lights is a very interesting movie, but not all that satisfying of one. For one, the first half is extremely dull and boring. The movie finds some momentum in the second half though. Also I don't care for where the story goes. It's all so obvious and unsatisfying, that it destroys an interesting concept and a trio of good performances from great actors. Margaret Matheson and Tom Buckley work together at a university and for the most part, their work is in exposing psychics who claim they have powers for frauds. There's one psychic that made Margaret doubt though and that is Simon Silver. Silver is coming back from retirement and is the most famous psychic out there. Tom gets obsessed with exposing Silver as a fraud, but is he actually? Robert De Niro and Sigourney Weaver are both good in their veteran roles, but Cillian Murphy definitely gives the best performance in the film. Still these actors and a good storyline are ruined for me, by the movie going exactly where you expect, but don't hope, it goes. Unfortunately this one goes that path and ends up playing out in a Carrie-esque fashion. This is still worth a look, as it isn't a completely horrible film, but just one that doesn't live up to what it could have been. This should have been a great movie and not just a so-so one and that's my biggest problem with it. If the idea of a movie about psychics and trying to expose them for frauds, with many bizarre elements thrown in for good measure, intrigues you; then give it a look.
Super Reviewer
Confusing. Had potential, but went astray...
Super Reviewer
Red Lights Quotes
| Simon Silver: | How did you do that? |
| Simon Silver: | Are you questioning my power?! |
| Simon Silver: | It is the deep, painful urgency of the animal forced to live in darkness which finally opens its eyes and voraciously demands light with a howl of rage! |
| Tom Buckley: | I stop deny myself.... |
| Tom Buckley: | You can't deny yourself forever. |