Writer: Christopher Borrelli (Screenplay)
Starring: Eliza Dushku, Robert Patrick, Chace Crawford, Brandon T Jackson, Martin Klebba, Nicole Forester
Plot: Four friends break into an abandoned insane asylum in search of a death certificate which will grant one of them a large inheritance. However, finding it soon becomes the least of their worries in a place haunted by dark memories.
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Had Potential
Story: Eloise starts with reading and a history lesson on Eloise psychiatric home where DR H. H. Greiss (Patrick) is said to have performed inhumane tests and treatments on the patients before a fire closed the facility in 1982 with only four of the original 78 buildings still standing. So, let me guess this right, first we must read what happened, small clip of the torture and then news reports of what happened, oooo they do also have a report that the builds have been searched and people still see ghosts within the walls.
The film finally gets started with Pia (Dushku) being questioned in an asylum being asked to remember what happened in Eloise with the bodies of her friends being found there, yeah, the film gives away who dies in the opening moments.
So, she enters into what happened by jumping to Jacob Martin (Crawford) because she would know what was going on in his life before the events. Anyway, Jacob learns that his father has passed away but he needs to go to Eloise to find the records of his Aunt’s death so he can inherit his family’s fortune.
When the report takes too long to get Jacob is joined by his friend Dale (Jackson), local historian Scott (Byrne) and his sister Pia as they look to break into Eloise to locate the records. But this is a horror movie and as the four find themselves walking through the empty corridors they soon learn that not everything is as it seems as the ghosts of the asylum still search for new patients to practice on.
Thoughts on Eloise
Story – I feel like this is going to be a long rant, because to me the storytelling is awful, first we have the reading only two minutes later we get narration telling us the same story. we also have the film give away who dies and how in the opening scene and most ridiculous we must deal with a character telling the story who isn’t even involved in the first part outside Eloise. With the rant out of the way this is a story that does try to have some moments of originality especially in the final third but getting there has been done before.
Horror – We have solid scares, we have a good setting which is what you need for the horror films but what we don’t have is a good story.
Characters/Performances – The characters involved are easily ripped out of the generic horror clichés, we have the lead Jacob trying to figure out a way to find the information required with Eloise, the potential love interest who doesn’t want to go but does to protect family that is also telling the story, add in the token supporting characters with the pushy friend and the geek character with glasses none of them feel fresh. The evil doctor again is something we have seen before too.
When you look at the performances the film has a draw for the horror fans with Eliza Dushku who is good without doing too much, while Chace showing once more that he is more of a supporting star rather than leading man. Byrne makes himself the comic relief of the film with Jackson just being the extra guy. It is Patrick that enjoy the fun in this film being the mad man doctor.
Settings – Once the film makes it into the asylum this all works well but otherwise this is all good for the settings side of the story.
Special Effects – When you look at the special effects in this fil we have good ones going on throughout without needing to be too over the top but enough for the horror.
Final Thoughts – The film does have a good final act but getting there does take a lot of hard work, through the bad story telling going on early on even if the end comes off nicely.
Overall: The final third of this film is good but the build-up is so plain nothing work for the final moments of the film.
Rating