66 reviews
A unique, interesting and subversive amalgamation of genres that suffers from some narrative issues and tonal fluctuations.
'The 9th Life Of Louis Drax (2016)' is the latest film directed by Alexandre Aja, who is most known for his 'The Hills Have Eyes (2006)' remake and the recent Daniel Radcliffe vehicle 'Horns (2013)'. The movie is fairly hard to describe, as it is a mixture of several genres that features a few twists and turns which I don't want to spoil. The basics of the plot revolves around the eponymous Louis Drax, a nine-year-old boy who suffers a near-fatal fall and is left in a coma, and the doctor assigned to his case. I really like it, despite the fact that it is flawed and by no means perfect, so I can't understand its relatively negative critical reception. It's unique, subversive, interesting and emotionally powerful.
The flick does wildly fluctuate in tone throughout its runtime, a flaw which does lend it some unpredictability and therefore can sometimes work to its advantage. One moment it is light and comedic, the next it is dark and gloomy. It's at times a comedy, a quirky indie-film, a family drama, a surrealist fantasy, a mystery 'whodunit', a more traditional horror and a psychological thriller. This amalgamation of genres is intriguing, leaving you never quite sure where the story is going to go. I also mostly appreciate the tonal shifts which, aside from sometimes feeling clumsy and out of place, make for a subversive yet cohesive piece that is much more unique than it may first seem. What doesn't work to the film's advantage, however, is its constant changes in perspective. These are often jarring and feel undisciplined; it is hard to determine who the protagonist is, Louis Drax or Doctor Pascal. The fact that the story flips between their two perspectives is fine, but the execution is fumbling and chaotic at best. The two aren't split equally, so it seems out of place when the swap happens. In the same vein, some of the flick's surreal elements bleed a little too closely into its portrayed reality; it's sometimes unclear what is fantastical and what is real. This is isn't a huge issue and it actually often works to the flick's advantage, but the picture can feel inconsistent in its portrayal and almost 'cheats' the audience at points.
The final act relies on a central conceit that requires quite a big leap in logic, leading to an aftertaste of mild confusion. I understand where the filmmakers were coming from, as a number of little details earlier in the picture attempt to establish it, but it isn't set up properly and becomes a little unbelievable. In the moment it works, though, and I thought it was a nice way of cleaning things up. Still, I wish the filmmakers had planted the seed for it better so that it's easier to get on board with. The actual conclusion feels a little flat in places, too, with some specific revelations not having the impact they should. These plot-lines could've done with an extra moment or two to compound and punctuate them properly. Other than that, the twists and turns generally work well. Some of them are more expected than others, but all of them feel plausible and earned. The film does a good job of making sense to both a first and second time viewer, with scenes showing just enough to perpetuate the 'red herrings' the first time but still remain logical once the whole picture has been revealed. By the time the final act rolls around, I the movie is actually rather gripping; you truly want to know what is going to happen. When the revelations are made, they're mostly satisfying and appropriately surprising - aside from the couple of issues with their consequences not being fully driven home.
The performances are all good, though Jamie Dornan's character can sometimes be quite boring and is played rather generically. Oliver Platt, Sarah Gadon and Aiden Longworth are all notably great, too, and Aaron Paul is downright fantastic in a complex role. A scene towards the end of the flick nearly provokes tears, as it's incredibly emotional and compounded by Paul's perfect performance. It's really affecting, more so than expected, and I cannot give the movie enough praise for tugging at my heartstrings - a rare feat for a film. The writing is mostly decent, though there are some obviously bad lines - both in their construction, repetition and generic nature - as well as the occasional exposition dump and leap in logic. The direction is superb, with a number of unique shots that add to the flick's quirky nature. The feature is framed cleanly, the edits are smooth and the blocking varies healthily. The fantastical elements are typically handled very well, with practical and digital effects being used in tandem, and the pacing is pretty taut - though it feels a little longer than it should on the whole.
Overall, I think 'The 9th Life Of Louis Drax (2016)' is an entertaining and well made film. It's subversive, surprising, engaging, interesting, emotionally powerful, unique and fun. It also has some great performances. It does suffer from occasional tonal and structural issues, narrative leaps in logic and some weak writing, but I still like the feature despite the fact that it's certainly far from perfect: 7/10.
The flick does wildly fluctuate in tone throughout its runtime, a flaw which does lend it some unpredictability and therefore can sometimes work to its advantage. One moment it is light and comedic, the next it is dark and gloomy. It's at times a comedy, a quirky indie-film, a family drama, a surrealist fantasy, a mystery 'whodunit', a more traditional horror and a psychological thriller. This amalgamation of genres is intriguing, leaving you never quite sure where the story is going to go. I also mostly appreciate the tonal shifts which, aside from sometimes feeling clumsy and out of place, make for a subversive yet cohesive piece that is much more unique than it may first seem. What doesn't work to the film's advantage, however, is its constant changes in perspective. These are often jarring and feel undisciplined; it is hard to determine who the protagonist is, Louis Drax or Doctor Pascal. The fact that the story flips between their two perspectives is fine, but the execution is fumbling and chaotic at best. The two aren't split equally, so it seems out of place when the swap happens. In the same vein, some of the flick's surreal elements bleed a little too closely into its portrayed reality; it's sometimes unclear what is fantastical and what is real. This is isn't a huge issue and it actually often works to the flick's advantage, but the picture can feel inconsistent in its portrayal and almost 'cheats' the audience at points.
The final act relies on a central conceit that requires quite a big leap in logic, leading to an aftertaste of mild confusion. I understand where the filmmakers were coming from, as a number of little details earlier in the picture attempt to establish it, but it isn't set up properly and becomes a little unbelievable. In the moment it works, though, and I thought it was a nice way of cleaning things up. Still, I wish the filmmakers had planted the seed for it better so that it's easier to get on board with. The actual conclusion feels a little flat in places, too, with some specific revelations not having the impact they should. These plot-lines could've done with an extra moment or two to compound and punctuate them properly. Other than that, the twists and turns generally work well. Some of them are more expected than others, but all of them feel plausible and earned. The film does a good job of making sense to both a first and second time viewer, with scenes showing just enough to perpetuate the 'red herrings' the first time but still remain logical once the whole picture has been revealed. By the time the final act rolls around, I the movie is actually rather gripping; you truly want to know what is going to happen. When the revelations are made, they're mostly satisfying and appropriately surprising - aside from the couple of issues with their consequences not being fully driven home.
The performances are all good, though Jamie Dornan's character can sometimes be quite boring and is played rather generically. Oliver Platt, Sarah Gadon and Aiden Longworth are all notably great, too, and Aaron Paul is downright fantastic in a complex role. A scene towards the end of the flick nearly provokes tears, as it's incredibly emotional and compounded by Paul's perfect performance. It's really affecting, more so than expected, and I cannot give the movie enough praise for tugging at my heartstrings - a rare feat for a film. The writing is mostly decent, though there are some obviously bad lines - both in their construction, repetition and generic nature - as well as the occasional exposition dump and leap in logic. The direction is superb, with a number of unique shots that add to the flick's quirky nature. The feature is framed cleanly, the edits are smooth and the blocking varies healthily. The fantastical elements are typically handled very well, with practical and digital effects being used in tandem, and the pacing is pretty taut - though it feels a little longer than it should on the whole.
Overall, I think 'The 9th Life Of Louis Drax (2016)' is an entertaining and well made film. It's subversive, surprising, engaging, interesting, emotionally powerful, unique and fun. It also has some great performances. It does suffer from occasional tonal and structural issues, narrative leaps in logic and some weak writing, but I still like the feature despite the fact that it's certainly far from perfect: 7/10.
- Pjtaylor-96-138044
- Sep 6, 2016
- Permalink
Louis Drax makes for a thoroughly interesting narrator indeed.
The 9th Life of Louis Drax is a powerful movie that brought me flashes of Room because we have such a strong child main character and reminiscent of Patrick Ness' A Monster Calls at times. It is so beautiful in a subtle dark way that you don't really fully grasp until the end.
I struggled a bit with the pace because even Louis' voice got tiresome every now and then, but the dreamy atmosphere saturated with a constant sense of suspense and mystery where you just had to know more about this kid and what happened to him kept me hooked.
Louis is such a smart, perceptive, special kid, with his own voice and sense of self. You can't help but let him grow on you.
There were some things I did not appreciate, such as the insta-love, but in the end even that made sense, and the twist caught me off guard, although I chided myself for not having thought of it, but the movie is that well done. Looking back you see it makes perfect sense but while watching it just doesn't come to mind.
The 9th Life of Louis Drax is most definitely a unique movie that I highly recommend.
I struggled a bit with the pace because even Louis' voice got tiresome every now and then, but the dreamy atmosphere saturated with a constant sense of suspense and mystery where you just had to know more about this kid and what happened to him kept me hooked.
Louis is such a smart, perceptive, special kid, with his own voice and sense of self. You can't help but let him grow on you.
There were some things I did not appreciate, such as the insta-love, but in the end even that made sense, and the twist caught me off guard, although I chided myself for not having thought of it, but the movie is that well done. Looking back you see it makes perfect sense but while watching it just doesn't come to mind.
The 9th Life of Louis Drax is most definitely a unique movie that I highly recommend.
"Being in a coma doesn't suck" (dialog, Louis)
- A_Different_Drummer
- Jan 21, 2017
- Permalink
A good movie that never tells you what it fully is as a movie
But very interesting film.
When I saw the poster, I thought it was going to be Sci-Fi or Fantasy. Then I read the synopsis and it seemed like a psychological thriller: Louis Drax is a problem child that gets into a fatal accident that puts him into a coma, and the doctor tending over him gets to the roots of those problems to try to wake him.
At it's basic core, this is what the movie is, a psychological thriller. It also is a mystery as we uncover what happen to put the kid in this coma. What is different, is that the movie is narrated by the kid in the coma. His child like narrative contradicts the adult content.
The voice of Luis Drax starts off the movie, telling his story of a kid prone to accidents since he was a baby. It sets a tone you can't erase as his story and how it revolves around the people around his life becomes very adult.
The tone versus the story is really offsetting at times, but does make for some humorous moments as Louis' mother gets into a relationship with Dr. Pascal, the doctor tending over him. The music layered over the film does not help because it reinforces that children's book fantasy genre that clashes with the crime drama mystery.
Aaron Paul was brilliant in the movie as Luis Drax's loving father, Peter. His tone in the movie also is more centered on the children's book side of the movie.
The only problem with the movie, is that besides the children's fantasy combining the mystery, Thriller, The movie does and has other elements that don't jump out of nowhere necessarily, but don't fit the whole story. Dr. Pascal has a background that's perfect for helping Louis Drax and others find out what happen to him, but using this is too inconsistent and turns it into the Sci-fi movie that I thought it would be looking at the poster, but takes you out of what they are trying to do.
But overall, I liked what is going on with the 9th Life of Louis Drax. The kid who plays Louis Drax tells a great tale of scandal and mystery, from the point of view of a child. it's a compelling story uniquely told.
http://cinemagardens.com
When I saw the poster, I thought it was going to be Sci-Fi or Fantasy. Then I read the synopsis and it seemed like a psychological thriller: Louis Drax is a problem child that gets into a fatal accident that puts him into a coma, and the doctor tending over him gets to the roots of those problems to try to wake him.
At it's basic core, this is what the movie is, a psychological thriller. It also is a mystery as we uncover what happen to put the kid in this coma. What is different, is that the movie is narrated by the kid in the coma. His child like narrative contradicts the adult content.
The voice of Luis Drax starts off the movie, telling his story of a kid prone to accidents since he was a baby. It sets a tone you can't erase as his story and how it revolves around the people around his life becomes very adult.
The tone versus the story is really offsetting at times, but does make for some humorous moments as Louis' mother gets into a relationship with Dr. Pascal, the doctor tending over him. The music layered over the film does not help because it reinforces that children's book fantasy genre that clashes with the crime drama mystery.
Aaron Paul was brilliant in the movie as Luis Drax's loving father, Peter. His tone in the movie also is more centered on the children's book side of the movie.
The only problem with the movie, is that besides the children's fantasy combining the mystery, Thriller, The movie does and has other elements that don't jump out of nowhere necessarily, but don't fit the whole story. Dr. Pascal has a background that's perfect for helping Louis Drax and others find out what happen to him, but using this is too inconsistent and turns it into the Sci-fi movie that I thought it would be looking at the poster, but takes you out of what they are trying to do.
But overall, I liked what is going on with the 9th Life of Louis Drax. The kid who plays Louis Drax tells a great tale of scandal and mystery, from the point of view of a child. it's a compelling story uniquely told.
http://cinemagardens.com
- subxerogravity
- Sep 6, 2016
- Permalink
Suspense Thriller on the most accident prone boy going
Louis has accidents – not the sort that can be cleaned up with a bit of effort but the sort that end in hospital. He has been having them for a long time. His beautiful mother appears to dote on him and then one day he has a near fatal fall from a cliff top – I mean if he is such a klutz why take him to a cliff edge – c'mon.
Anyway silly parental gaffs aside he is then taken under the wing of hunky, coma paediatrician expert, Dr Alan Pascal (Jamie Dornan) who thinks that it may be possible links that can be maintained through means yet to be understood by medical science. Thus begins a surreal, often warm and often twisted trip into the previous eight lives of the titular Louis Drax.
Now I actually quite enjoyed this it is adapted from the book – but I shall not compare the two. The cast are all above good and the special effects are both great and believable. It is a slow reveal and is the sort of film that you may only wish to see once (so go for a rental) but it is worth going for al the same.
Anyway silly parental gaffs aside he is then taken under the wing of hunky, coma paediatrician expert, Dr Alan Pascal (Jamie Dornan) who thinks that it may be possible links that can be maintained through means yet to be understood by medical science. Thus begins a surreal, often warm and often twisted trip into the previous eight lives of the titular Louis Drax.
Now I actually quite enjoyed this it is adapted from the book – but I shall not compare the two. The cast are all above good and the special effects are both great and believable. It is a slow reveal and is the sort of film that you may only wish to see once (so go for a rental) but it is worth going for al the same.
- t-dooley-69-386916
- Mar 3, 2017
- Permalink
Supernatural Film with a Unique Storyline
The boy Louis Drax (Aiden Longworth) is a survivor along his life, escaping from death for eight times. On his ninth birthday, he goes to a picnic with his beautiful mother Natalie (Sarah Gadon) and his father Peter (Aaron Paul) nearby a cliff. Out of the blue, Louis falls off the cliff and is declared dead by the doctors. However he awakes immediately before the autopsy and stays in coma under the care of Dr. Allan Pascal (Jamie Dornan). Natalie discloses to the police detective Dalton (Molly Parker) that Peter, who is missing, pushed Louis off the cliff and he becomes the prime suspect of the case. Meanwhile Dr. Pascal, who is married, becomes close to Natalie. When weird things happen in the hospital with Louis, Dr. Pascal invites his psychiatrist Dr. Perez (Oliver Platt) to share his knowledge about the behavior of the boy and they disclose secrets about the Drax family.
"The 9th Life of Louis Drax" is a supernatural film directed by Alexandre Aja with a unique storyline. The plot is intriguing and mysterious but the conclusion could be better and better since the twist discloses Natalie's personality too soon with the visit of Peter 's mother to the hospital. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "A Nona Vida de Louis Drax" ("The 9th Life of Louis Drax")
"The 9th Life of Louis Drax" is a supernatural film directed by Alexandre Aja with a unique storyline. The plot is intriguing and mysterious but the conclusion could be better and better since the twist discloses Natalie's personality too soon with the visit of Peter 's mother to the hospital. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "A Nona Vida de Louis Drax" ("The 9th Life of Louis Drax")
- claudio_carvalho
- Feb 3, 2017
- Permalink
Interesting but not satisfying at all
A movie that was released in theaters this weekend. You never heard of it? Hell, I see like four movies a week at the theater nowadays and hadn't heard a peep about it. This is kind of why I went to see it. It's an odd duck that's actually fairly original and has an intriguing mystery at its center. All in all, though, it's not very good. It has some howlingly bad dialogue and some laughable twists. Its biggest problem, though, is that the central character is the least likable movie kid since the one from Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. And at least that kid had autism as an excuse. This kid (Aiden Longworth) has Little Prick Syndrome, which can only be cured by a punch to the face. Or a shove off the cliff, which is how the story begins. An "accident prone" kid, this is his ninth big accident in his nine years on Earth. This one leaves him in a coma, having come back from the other side while being prepared for an autopsy. His mother (Sarah Gadon) sits by his side and his father (Aaron Paul), the presumed shover, is on the run. The boy's doctor (Jamie Dornan) forms a close bond with the mother as he tries to figure out what happened, and how to get Louis out of the coma. Oliver Platt plays the kid's psychologist and Barbara Hershey his paternal grandmother. I was never bored, I will say that, but I was also supremely unsatisfied. Gadon and Paul are both good. Dornan is boring. Platt was best-in-show.
Another Movie to add to the Pile of Movies I Love that Everyone Hates
Louie Drax Has it Difficult
A storytelling haunting story!
- mariangelacapello
- Nov 4, 2016
- Permalink
The mystery suspense, fantasy, and crime drama all in one that seems uneven and boring.
Not that bad
I was not expecting to like this film, but it wasn't actually that bad. I was intrigued by the promis of Jamie Dornan and Aaron Paul. Then upon viewing I still can't place where I know Sarah Gadon from, but she was fantastic. Intrigue, Murder and a weird kid makes for an entertaining movie!
An engaging supernatural thriller filled with unexpected twists and turns.
The attractive story begins on Louis Drax's (Aiden Longworth) ninth birthday, when a lifetime of curious mishaps culminates in the boy's near-fatal fall . His doctor Allan Pascal (Jamie Dornan) finds himself tangled between his professional responsibility and his growing affections for the boy's mother (Sarah Gadon) , a fragile young beauty . When Louis' father (Aaron Paul) comes under suspicion, Pascal realizes that other mysterious forces may be at work . Desperate to reveal the strange circumstances behind the young boy's accident and dark coincidences that have plagued his entire life, Dr. Allan Pascal is drawn into a thrilling mystery that explores the nature of the sixth sense, testing the boundaries of fantasy and reality. Dr. Allan attempts to unlock the mystery, but he finds out a mystery beyond reality.
An interesting thriller with echoes of "The Sixth Sense" and "Gone Girl" . "The 9th Life of Louis Drax" blends various genres and the tension is very high , including nail-biting scenes of pure suspense . It displays a surprising and twisted plot in which a psychologist who begins working with a young boy who has suffered a near-fatal fall finds himself drawn into a mystery that tests the boundaries of fantasy and reality. It is an astonishing film whose tension goes on in crescendo until an amazing finale with plenty of plot twists . The film is well-paced with surprises , eerie suspense , and intrigue enough . Four protagonists : Jamie Dorman, Sarah Gadon , Aaron Paul and the little boy Aiden Longworth give acceptable interpretations . Being accompanied by a support cast with plenty of familiar actors providing brief but decent performances from Molly Parker, Barbara Hershey , Julian Wadham, Terry Chen and special mention for veteran Oliver Platt as a sympathetic psychologist . And cameo by writer/actor Max Minghella as Nurse , who wrote the interesting script based on on the novel by Liz Jensen. Though , actually deceased writer/director Anthony Minghella was preparing a version of this film at the time of his death and it was continued by his son Max .
Containing a colorful and brilliant cinematography by cameraman Maxime Alexandre. As well as suspenseful and evocative musical score by Patrick Watson. The motion picture was well directed by Alexandre Aja , though it has some flaws and gaps . Alexandre Aja is son of director Alexandre Arcady and belongs to a new wave of filmmakers making brutally violent horror films that include the following ones : Neil Marshall, Greg McLean, Rob Zombie Darren Lynn Bousman, Eli Roth, James Wan and Leigh Whannell , who are nicknamed the Splat Pack . This French filmmaker is a good artisan who has made some nice and successful terror movies , as in France as in the US , such as : ¨The Hills have Eyes¨ , ¨Mirrors¨, ¨Furia¨, ¨Horns¨ , ¨Piranaha 3D¨, ¨Crawl¨ , among others. Rating : 6.5/10 . Good crime/thriller/drama movie .
An interesting thriller with echoes of "The Sixth Sense" and "Gone Girl" . "The 9th Life of Louis Drax" blends various genres and the tension is very high , including nail-biting scenes of pure suspense . It displays a surprising and twisted plot in which a psychologist who begins working with a young boy who has suffered a near-fatal fall finds himself drawn into a mystery that tests the boundaries of fantasy and reality. It is an astonishing film whose tension goes on in crescendo until an amazing finale with plenty of plot twists . The film is well-paced with surprises , eerie suspense , and intrigue enough . Four protagonists : Jamie Dorman, Sarah Gadon , Aaron Paul and the little boy Aiden Longworth give acceptable interpretations . Being accompanied by a support cast with plenty of familiar actors providing brief but decent performances from Molly Parker, Barbara Hershey , Julian Wadham, Terry Chen and special mention for veteran Oliver Platt as a sympathetic psychologist . And cameo by writer/actor Max Minghella as Nurse , who wrote the interesting script based on on the novel by Liz Jensen. Though , actually deceased writer/director Anthony Minghella was preparing a version of this film at the time of his death and it was continued by his son Max .
Containing a colorful and brilliant cinematography by cameraman Maxime Alexandre. As well as suspenseful and evocative musical score by Patrick Watson. The motion picture was well directed by Alexandre Aja , though it has some flaws and gaps . Alexandre Aja is son of director Alexandre Arcady and belongs to a new wave of filmmakers making brutally violent horror films that include the following ones : Neil Marshall, Greg McLean, Rob Zombie Darren Lynn Bousman, Eli Roth, James Wan and Leigh Whannell , who are nicknamed the Splat Pack . This French filmmaker is a good artisan who has made some nice and successful terror movies , as in France as in the US , such as : ¨The Hills have Eyes¨ , ¨Mirrors¨, ¨Furia¨, ¨Horns¨ , ¨Piranaha 3D¨, ¨Crawl¨ , among others. Rating : 6.5/10 . Good crime/thriller/drama movie .
Symbolism Galore
- stevendbeard
- Sep 3, 2016
- Permalink
An unexpected surprise
This film tells the story of a young boy who falls off a cliff into the sea, and subsequently fall into a coma. His father is missing, and the mother is understandably distraught. A handsome doctor tries to help them all, but things may not appear as they seem.
"The 9th Life of Louis Drax" is full of surprises. It starts off like a children's film, then becomes romance, then fantasy, then mystery. These elements seamlessly mix into a captivating and engaging story that makes me glued to the screen. It makes me feel differently towards each character at different points of the film, which I think of indicative of how cleverly the story is constructed. The ending is a big surprise, and I would not have guessed it at all. I will be telling my friends about this great film. I really enjoyed it.
"The 9th Life of Louis Drax" is full of surprises. It starts off like a children's film, then becomes romance, then fantasy, then mystery. These elements seamlessly mix into a captivating and engaging story that makes me glued to the screen. It makes me feel differently towards each character at different points of the film, which I think of indicative of how cleverly the story is constructed. The ending is a big surprise, and I would not have guessed it at all. I will be telling my friends about this great film. I really enjoyed it.
Failed to Deliver on Promising Potential
OK... You could always ask for more... But this a decent meal
This is one of those movies that leave you thinking "it never really took off", ending without that particular blast you were led to expect... But it's not a lame proposal neither.
Engaging story, very good acting (IMO), suspenseful and aesthetically cool ambiance, decent delivery of a maybe not so original final punch.
In sum, a discrete but better movie than so many going around right now.
Engaging story, very good acting (IMO), suspenseful and aesthetically cool ambiance, decent delivery of a maybe not so original final punch.
In sum, a discrete but better movie than so many going around right now.
- pedronunesnomundo
- Sep 1, 2021
- Permalink
Like being hit by a bus on a Beautiful spring day.I never saw it coming .
Not many will understand this soft murder Mystery at first.The cinematic Beauty of nature coupled with alternative classical music is misdirection at it's best.When watching a film with overtones of narration it gives one the feeling of reading a novel.More of a slow paced an intellectual film. I thought It was worth a watch, more of a female movie. Such a rare disorder, But this film had a pollyanna attitude it did not smack so hard.By submitting this review you are agreeing to the terms laid out in our Copyright Statement. Your submission must be your own original work. Your review will normally be posted on the site within 2-3 business days. Reviews that do not meet the guidelines will not be posted. Please write in English only. HTML or boards mark-up is not supported though paragraph breaks will be inserted if you leave a blank line between paragraph.
- mikevonbach
- Jan 22, 2017
- Permalink
Simpering sick-making kid survives his suicide attempt
- donaldking
- Feb 22, 2017
- Permalink
Haunting
"The 9th Life Of Louis Drax" starring Jamie Dornan and Sarah Gadon is haunting.. with the most heart-wrenching reveal/twist-ending since "The Sixth Sense." Based on Liz Jensen's novel, adapted by Max Minghell, and directed by Alexandre Aja who gave us various horror films from "The Hills Have Eyes," "Piranha 3D" to "Horns," his latest feat, THE 9TH LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX is not designed to scare you, it's more of a murder whodunit mystery with a side of supernatural elements. The film is completely engrossing, not to mention this lead character, the kid named Louis Drax, excellently played by young talent, Aiden Longworth, is a character that has his perks, he's unlike any other kid, he's blunt. So when Louis Drax falls off a steep cliff on his ninth birthday, the police quickly blames the father (Aaron Paul) who's been missing since the incident. Jamie Dornan plays neurologist, Dr. Allan Pascal who's been trying to help his comatose patients including Louis, to regain consciousness. But there's a certain magnetic character in the room, Louis's mother, Natalie (Sarah Gadon) who carries her own secrets.
This is a film that has a twist ending, and so talking about it without giving too much away is honestly quite challenging. But here's what I'll say about THE 9TH LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX, it brilliantly puts all kinds of theories in your head as to what really happened that fateful day, you wouldn't be able to guess which one is right or who's guilty. Another intriguing part is that all the characters are flawed, not just Louis who considers himself different from the other kids. Great multidimensional characters that draw you further and further into the mystery as it slowly but surely peals its layers before it lets you see the bigger picture, because up until that point, your focus would only be on the kid, Louis. It's quite refreshing to see director Aja take on this gig instead of his usual frightfest. THE 9TH LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX is kinda of like the movie that M. Night Shyamalan never made.
-- Rama's Screen --
This is a film that has a twist ending, and so talking about it without giving too much away is honestly quite challenging. But here's what I'll say about THE 9TH LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX, it brilliantly puts all kinds of theories in your head as to what really happened that fateful day, you wouldn't be able to guess which one is right or who's guilty. Another intriguing part is that all the characters are flawed, not just Louis who considers himself different from the other kids. Great multidimensional characters that draw you further and further into the mystery as it slowly but surely peals its layers before it lets you see the bigger picture, because up until that point, your focus would only be on the kid, Louis. It's quite refreshing to see director Aja take on this gig instead of his usual frightfest. THE 9TH LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX is kinda of like the movie that M. Night Shyamalan never made.
-- Rama's Screen --
- Ramascreen
- Sep 1, 2016
- Permalink
Quirky little thriller
- gridoon2024
- May 19, 2017
- Permalink
stay clear
The haters of this movie should get a life
Enjoyable mystery thriller that won't keep you on the edge of your seat but that is still interesting to watch. I do like mysteries, it's one of my favorite genre of movies, and in The 9th Life Of Louis Drax I figured it all out at half of the movie. And other people will probably do as well. That could be a sign that it's not interesting to watch because the story is too obvious. But it isn't at all. Even though I was practically certain what the outcome would be it remains a movie with a high likability to watch. The narrating voice of Aiden Longworth is pleasant to hear, even though I read that other reviewers didn't like it. The kid's character would probably not be the cutest boy to live with but in the movie it works perfectly. The rest of the cast are all a great addition to the movie. No bad words about anybody in this movie. It's beautifully shot, mesmerizing with the narrating voice, the twist is like I said a bit too obvious but it's still working. You have good movies that you will watch once, but this one is just above that and is one I would watch again in the future.
- deloudelouvain
- Mar 31, 2017
- Permalink
Stick with it.
A little slow to start but stick with it, it is worth it in the end. The story line is also a bit weird to start with and it leaves you wondering where the story is going. This thriller twists and turns and hints at something dark and disturbing. Overall a good movie slow to start. Would we watch it again, absolutely, retained for future viewing.
- barberic-695-574135
- Jun 14, 2018
- Permalink
What starts to be a great mystery ends quite predictable.
French horror film director Alexandre Aja famed for his remake of The Hills Have Eyes gives us a mysterious thriller central around a nine year old boy name Louis Drax (Aiden Longworth) who is plunged into a coma after falling from cliff and being pronounced dead for two hours with his father (Aaron Paul) being the prime suspect.
The boys resilience to incidents and illness sparks intrigue, especially with a sleep doctor played by Shades of Grey, Jamie Dornan who also develops a special interest in the boys mother, Natalie, played by the alluring Sarah Gadon. Dornan looked and acted a lot like Henry Cavill's Clark Kent having an air of chivalry about him.
There's something special if not eerie about the boy and everyone starts getting raised suspicions about what actually happened and how the boy returned to unconsciousness which we visit in forms of dreamy flashbacks that help piece together the plot.
The mystery deepens as the story goes on but unfortunately becomes very predictable. It's paced well for 108mins and is quite surreal having a dreamy glow around certain parts which, although unrelated reminded me of The Butterfly Effect. It's based on a novel of the same name written by Liz Jenson and I imagine the book would be a better read, mystery novels tend to give off my suspense than their visual adaptations.
It was good to see Oliver Platt even if playing a slightly typical role for him, a psychiatrist who has background knowledge of the boy. Also, even if for a small part, Barbara Hershey as the boy's Grandmother but maybe this film was lacking a larger star and I feel this film will go unnoticed purely because of that.
The score was brilliant but maybe too enchanting for this film, giving it a fantasy style feel, but I think that was what the composer was going for, who is indie rock musician, Patrick Watson. His end credit track 'Man Under The Sea' is quite enlightening for the film.
Its started off so well and keeps you intrigued until you figure out what's going on, which isn't too difficult and the rest of the movie just falls into place. It has a good original story but it lacks the punch and shock at the great reveal and whilst the core is predictable, some parts are left unexplained leaving you felt cheated. Not a film for the big screen.
Running Time: 6 The Cast: 5 Performance: 5 Direction: 6 Story: 6 Script: 5 Creativity: 6 Soundtrack: 7 Job Description: 2 The Extra Bonus Points: 0
49% 5/10
The boys resilience to incidents and illness sparks intrigue, especially with a sleep doctor played by Shades of Grey, Jamie Dornan who also develops a special interest in the boys mother, Natalie, played by the alluring Sarah Gadon. Dornan looked and acted a lot like Henry Cavill's Clark Kent having an air of chivalry about him.
There's something special if not eerie about the boy and everyone starts getting raised suspicions about what actually happened and how the boy returned to unconsciousness which we visit in forms of dreamy flashbacks that help piece together the plot.
The mystery deepens as the story goes on but unfortunately becomes very predictable. It's paced well for 108mins and is quite surreal having a dreamy glow around certain parts which, although unrelated reminded me of The Butterfly Effect. It's based on a novel of the same name written by Liz Jenson and I imagine the book would be a better read, mystery novels tend to give off my suspense than their visual adaptations.
It was good to see Oliver Platt even if playing a slightly typical role for him, a psychiatrist who has background knowledge of the boy. Also, even if for a small part, Barbara Hershey as the boy's Grandmother but maybe this film was lacking a larger star and I feel this film will go unnoticed purely because of that.
The score was brilliant but maybe too enchanting for this film, giving it a fantasy style feel, but I think that was what the composer was going for, who is indie rock musician, Patrick Watson. His end credit track 'Man Under The Sea' is quite enlightening for the film.
Its started off so well and keeps you intrigued until you figure out what's going on, which isn't too difficult and the rest of the movie just falls into place. It has a good original story but it lacks the punch and shock at the great reveal and whilst the core is predictable, some parts are left unexplained leaving you felt cheated. Not a film for the big screen.
Running Time: 6 The Cast: 5 Performance: 5 Direction: 6 Story: 6 Script: 5 Creativity: 6 Soundtrack: 7 Job Description: 2 The Extra Bonus Points: 0
49% 5/10
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- Sep 3, 2016
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