The Gift

To be honest, this film failed to captivate or entertain me. It’s a standard mysterious thriller that wants to surprise in the end, and fails miserably. The reveal was clear well before it was revealed! It’s not bad, it has too good a cast and director for that, but I think they could have got a lot more out of it. (27/04/2009)

It's a pity the film isn't from 1999, otherwise I would have said it’s another example of the golden thrillers of the 90s. The cast is fabulous, the final twist is okay, I wouldn't put my hand in the fire for it, even though I suspected it. I enjoyed the courtroom scene and the nicely building tension. I love these films. 75%. (17/06/2015)

Given that Billy Bob Thornton hasn’t written many scripts, all of them were little gems. And when it is made by an interesting director like Sam Raimi, the guarantee of a quality cross between an interesting idea and unrestrained mainstream is certain. And it is precisely when evaluating Raimi's work that I find myself on shaky ground because surprisingly, he abandoned his typical visual tricks (well, not entirely, as scenes in the woods á la Evil Dead or the bathroom scene can challenge even stronger stomachs) to give maximum space to the actors, who richly reciprocate this "trust." Starting with Cate Blanchett, who seems to be incapable of acting badly, through Keanu Reeves in an atypical role as the antagonist, and ending with Katie Holmes, who compensates for her lack of acting talent in other ways (every viewer should wait for the ending, which, in my opinion, falters a bit, especially in terms of Raimi's delivery, because I guessed what was going to happen about ten minutes beforehand). Just cutting out one scene would make the ending really impactful for me. But that's just a minor criticism of the film, which flows like water, scares, entertains, and most importantly, doesn't fade from your mind after a few days. x (23/07/2005)

After the third screening, I'm adding a star for the really excellent atmosphere, the music that suits the story to a tee, the really beautiful locations where Raimi has placed the tale of murder, and the beautiful fortune teller played by Cate Blanchett. I think that in the field of "mystery thrillers" The Gift is one of the most successful films ever. (02/05/2009)

Raimi is, in my opinion, one of the most complex directors of our time, able to make an entertaining fantasy adventure with the same verve as a dark thriller about a near-perfect crime shrouded in a series of mysterious and convoluted revelations. The impressive production design and dense atmosphere are just stepping stones towards a perfectly crafted and utterly unpredictable story that imaginatively combines proven genre techniques and gets the best out of the amazing cast. It's dominated by the fragile and frightened clairvoyant Cate Blanchett, whose terrifying premonitions can make even the most hardened viewer jump from their seat, and also by a violent Keanu Reeves, who is not far behind her in a more negative role. The Gift will never be gem of its genre, and its final part lacks the lightness and panache of Raimi's previous narrative, but it’s still a spicy and damn nutritious delicacy that every horror fan should savour. (03/09/2012)