Kelly Boland To be safe I checked the spoiler alert therefor I apologize in advance. First I read the book Hideaway then saw the movie later. Whoever made the movie I don't think the director fully read dean Koontz's book.I feel as if the director read what the story was about in the description and went off of that and that alone.Regina's description in the book was her being the age 9 and was crippled. Not to mention Hatch and Linsey adopted her. Now, in the movie she's about 15 years old, not disabled, rebellious, and was their biological daughter. Regina plays a big part of the movie and to me I felt the plot of the story was severely butchered.

jztzt One night, while driving home with his wife and daughter, Hatch (Jeff Goldblum) gets into a car accident which results in his temporary death. Enter Dr. Nyebern, who has developed a unique resuscitation technique that can revive the dead even after a prolonged period of time. After his revival, Hatch begins having visions of young girls being murdered. It turns out that he shares some sort of special link with the deranged killer (Jeremy Sisto), as they have both been to the other side. Unable to convince anyone of his warnings and knowledge, it's only up to Hatch to stop the killer, who may have a target in mind close to Hatch's heart.This film wasn't particularly exciting, scary or suspenseful. In fact, I scoffed at it from time to time. It was quite ridiculous, cheap, trashy, conventional, predictable, and laughable. The special effects were subpar and murky. The best and most inspired scene was during the first five minutes when the killer journeyed in agony towards hell, after committing an atrocious act and then committing suicide. At least that was something I had not seen too often before. The rest of the movie was merely another slasher film in disguise, no matter how high-gloss it seemed.By the end of the film, many questions and plot holes had arisen but were not addressed. Also, the science, law, and technicalities (e.g. maintaining a patient's confidentiality despite being a menace to others) brought up in the film were terribly erroneous. Much of the film was in bad taste. From time to time, the filmmakers treaded on thin ice by depicting questionable, unsavory, and objectionable acts and images. I also thought the film was going to make some point about spirituality, religion, hell, or heaven, but no such luck. Though some characters were not written well or underutilized of their full potentials, the acting was fine, especially Jeremy Sisto's risky performance as the despicable creep. However, I simply did not care for Goldblum's character and was not convinced of his suffering. Some of his actions, reactions, and dialogues were wayward and awkward. Sometimes he made mistakes when he should have known better and was slow to catch on with certain matters. His wife's role (Christine Lahti) was mostly limited and reduced to that of the long-suffering spouse. She was there mostly to lend support when needed, only becoming a more independent and stronger character near the end. Alicia Silverstone's daughter character was limited in scope as well; mainly serving as a plot gimmick for the killer to prey on.There are far better and scarier horror films out there, Hideaway is not one of them. One film that comes to mind is Lord of Illusions, which is more grotesque, violent, gory, and over-the-top, but effective nonetheless. It goes all the way with its unique, nightmarish, and sensational imagery, and knows no boundaries. Unlike Hideaway, it establishes no pretensions of the divine and evil, and engages us with interesting characters whom we care about.

moonspinner55 Not long after losing one of his two daughters in a car accident, family man and antique store owner Jeff Goldblum suffers his own car trauma and literally dies momentarily; a doctor brings him back to life, but it seems Goldblum has brought good and evil powers back with him from the other side: he is now telepathically entwined with a psychopath who hunts young women. Based on a Dean Koontz novel, this low-grade thriller has one of the laziest screenplays I've ever come across. Writers Andrew Kevin Walker and Neal Jimenez don't seem to have a shred of verisimilitude when it comes to writing dialogue for their equally unreal characters--nobody behaves the way regular people would. Christine Lahti is Goldblum's ineffective wife, Alfred Molina is Goldblum's ineffective doctor, Kenneth Welsh is an ineffective detective. They're all walking contrivances in this half-cocked adaptation, which allegedly embarrassed best-selling author Koontz (if it didn't, it should have). Just back from the hospital, Goldblum begins having nightmares that look like bits and pieces of a heavy metal video; the viewer is cued up for the obligatory waking-up-with-a-jolt-from-a-nightmare close-up (and the movie doesn't disappoint). Turns out there's a killer in town (Jeremy Sisto) who gets around from place to place with effortless, alarming accuracy; when he's not hanging out at a sleazy motel--which isn't even listed with information--he's holed up at a derelict amusement park (seems he conveniently has the place all to himself). Of course, nobody takes note that Sisto's latest victim looks like Goldblum's other daughter (Alicia Silverstone, who does nothing but whine), nor does wife Lahti take into account that just maybe her husband knows what he's talking about when he says their kid is in danger. The movie makes absolutely no sense from a logical stand-point, though all of this is rendered inconsequential once Jeff and Christine arrive for a showdown with Sisto near the park's Big Slide ride. The results of this stillborn finale are so shameful, one can only hope Goldblum and company were well-paid for not looking outraged. NO STARS from ****

BloodTheTelepathicDog Director Brett Leonard incorporates too many Lawnmower Man type special effects in this film. The effects were not handled well, and should have been left out entirely. They should have used another method to convey the shared link between Goldblum and Sisto.Having Goldblum die and come back to life, acquiring a link with a sinister teenage Satan worshiper, was an interesting premise. Both Goldblum and Jeremy Sisto give fine performances, but the special effects keep me from grading this film any higher than a five.The climax was nail biting, and lasted for quite awhile, though the conclusion was a big disappointment. Over-rated actress Alicia Silverstone does her typical pouty brat routine here, and isn't worthy to share the screen with either Goldblum or Sisto