The Awakening (2011)

71% of critics liked it
(24 reviews)
76% want to see it
(1,688 ratings)

1921 England is overwhelmed by the loss and grief of World War I. Hoax exposer Florence Cathcart visits a boarding school to explain sightings of a child ghost. Everything she knew in unravels as the 'missing' begin to show themselves.

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 47 min.
Directed By: Nick Murphy
Genres: Horror, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Aug 10, 2012 Limited
Studio: Cohen Media Group

Critic Reviews

John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter
A too-rare instance in which a gifted young actor signs on for a fright flick without coming away tainted, The Awakening places Rebecca Hall in a convincing historical setting and gives her more to do than widen her eyes in fear.
Adam Smith, Radio Times
This is no classic of a notoriously difficult genre, but if you can forgive the silly conclusion, it's still satisfyingly scary.
Alistair Harkness, Scotsman
When the convoluted explanation comes, it's too silly to justify the film's self-serious tone.
Philip French, Observer [UK]
The movie is best when in sceptical mode. It goes astray when it essays a kind of tragic poetry along the lines of The Turn of the Screw.
Derek Malcolm, This is London
Gets dafter and dafter as it progresses.
Graham Young, Birmingham Mail
A truly fine effort, a worthy reminder of the quality of traditional British pictures and just how good the ghost genre can be when it relies on space, time and simple creaks for effect.
David Edwards, Daily Mirror [UK]
The film is full of familiar scenes of ghostly goings-on, which lead to an unshocking shock ending.
Rosie Fletcher, SFX Magazine
The Awakening is a classy old-fashioned ghost tale in the tradition of The Turn Of The Screw
Christopher Tookey, Daily Mail [UK]
Winter and Christmas are traditionally times for ghost stories, and The Awakening is a classy one.
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
I have to say I found the final, colossal revelation to be contrived, but there are some nicely creepy moments...
Henry Fitzherbert, Daily Express
Well cast and acted, with Imelda Staunton as the school matron, the picture is watchable and handsomely made but it's rather weakly plotted and never truly chills.
Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph
Rarely does a horror film make the back of your neck tingle with the calibre of its performances as well as its jumps and jolts - but The Awakening, a beautifully mounted ghost story in the style of The Turn of the Screw, provides chills of both kinds.
Anton Bitel, Little White Lies
An elegantly constructed masquerade, but its haunting sadness rings true.
Lisa Giles-Keddie, Real.com
Murphy has produced a mind-bending and foreboding suspense thriller full of intriguing dead ends and plausible accounts.
Roz Laws, Birmingham Post
Yes, it gets a little melodramatic and nonsensical towards the end, but it's still compelling. I left feeling a little shaken and unnerved.
Tim Evans, Sky Movies
There's enough happening in The Awakening to keep you awake.
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher
[E]legantly creepy tale of a haunting that, wonder of wonders, one may approach equally well from the perspective of total supernatural belief or entrenched skepticism...
Nigel Floyd, Time Out
A ridiculous revelation and a redundant sexual assault undercut all good sense, as fierce rationality gives way to absurd contrivance and hysteria.
Rosie Fletcher, Total Film
Creepy, jumpy, if somewhat samey, it's set above the spooker norm by its strong visuals, grief-steeped period setting and lingering ambiguity.
Damon Wise, Empire Magazine
There's little here to add to the well-worn haunted house genre.

Read all 21 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Dean !

A decent British film that has plenty of creepy atmasphere, without ever really being scary. A good British cast with a lot of recognizable faces give a good performance collectively and the
Crash E

in the beginning of the movie really I didn't find it attractive, and during it there were alot of ups and downs, some were boring and make no sense, and other were a confusing nice tension, but in the last 30 min I figured all the things out,really it was an amazing end.
familiar s

With its own originality, it's a sort of The Sixth Sense meeting The Orphanage. Sort of. From action to direction, everything's smooth and fine. Quite watchable.
Theta S

1921 and scientist Florence Cathcart (Rebecca Hall) works as a civilian consultant debunking hoaxes regarding the paranormal. When schoolteacher Robert Mallory (Dominic West)asks for her assistance to investigate a death following the sighting of an apparition at his school in… More
1921 and scientist Florence Cathcart (Rebecca Hall) works as a civilian consultant debunking hoaxes regarding the paranormal. When schoolteacher Robert Mallory (Dominic West)asks for her assistance to investigate a death following the sighting of an apparition at his school in Cumbria, Cathcart is confronted with a situation which is otherworldly... or has more of a human influence to it. This drama is very much in the style of The Turn Of The Screw or the forthcoming The Woman In Black as the lead character of Florence is required to investigate supernatural goings on in a remote location. The film uses very little in the way of camera trickery and goes more for a slowly building tension as the story progresses. Rebecca Hall delivers an excellent performance in the role of Florence. At first she is sure of the nature of the world seeing the supernatural as fodder for charlatans and tricksters. However, as the film progresses the character loses this sense of her reality as she investigates the supposed hauntings at the school. Hall is ably supported by Dominic West in the role of Mallory which calls for the character to move from a confrontational posture of disliking Florence's work to thst of an ally and Imelda Staunton who portrays the role of the school's matron, and fan of Cathcart's work, Maud. The cinematography and direction is beautiful supporting and building on the menace throughout the film. The script is cleverly written as red herrings are exposed and clues are hidden very much in plain sight. So, why only 70%? Well, to be honest this film isn't really suitable for the big screen and it misses the market that it is aimed at. This film is more suitable for the quiet confines of a dark room in autumn with a coal fire burning in the hearth and the viewer being scared from the comfort of their armchair. My advice... wait for this one when it comes out on home viewing where you may get more benefit from the scares.