Hide And Seek

Synopsis: Emily Callaway (Dakota Fanning) is the 11-year old only daughter of psychologist David Callaway (Robert De Niro). Following the suicide of David's wife (Amy Irving), the two have moved to a secluded upstate New York house in the hope that a fresh start will banish their troubles. But Emily has become sullen and withdrawn. She barely speaks and exhibits hostility towards her father's new friend, Elizabeth (Elisabeth Shue). The only thing to give her any joy is an imaginary friend named "Charlie." But Charlie is a dark and unpleasant entity, and David finds ugly graffiti on his bathroom wall and a cat drowned in the tub. Despite dismissing the possibility that Charlie may be more than a subconscious manifestation of something shadowy in his daughter's psyche, he refuses to hospitalize her and instead hopes that everything will blow over. But, when a murder happens, the truth about Charlie can no longer be ignored.

Australian actor turned director John Polson is certainly carving out a niche for himself in Hollywood as a proficient director of B-grade Hitchcock-like thrillers. First there was the suspense of the teen Fatal Attraction-like Swimfan, and now there's the slasher thrills of the supernatural-themed Hide And Seek, both of which have been huge successes in the States.

Hide And Seek is a routine offering that benefits from the presence of a solid cast including Robert De Niro, even though he seems to be less cautious in his choice of material these days, and the usually excellent Dakota Fanning. De Niro brings a haunted quality to his performance as New York psychologist David Callaway, who is still grieving over the recent suicide of his wife and who, despite his training and background, is unable to prevent the phantom "Charlie" from threatening to tear his shattered family even further apart.

Polson, who only replaced original director, Albert Hughes, after he walked off the set citing the usual "creative differences", effectively builds up a spooky atmosphere and an air of uneasiness, before the film falls apart with an overwrought climax that almost drowns in a succession of clichés. Notwithstanding, there are a couple of moments of genuine shock that will jolt you out of your seat - but it is too little, too late. The film itself is full of red herrings, lots of inconsistencies, unexpected twists, and unanswered questions that don't stand up to scrutiny.

Hide And Seek is certainly better than the dire Godsend, the previous De Niro spooky-child-in-peril film; not that that is much of a recommendation in itself.

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