Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Contentar Best movie of this year hands down!

Baseshment I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

christopher-underwood Many people seem to have an aversion to the films of De Palma and nothing I am going to say will change their minds. I feel he may be a little too European for some Americans, a bit too aware. There again some just mention Hitchcock and role their eyes. So, for what it is worth, let me assure anyone interested that this is a very good watch. I am not suggesting that the storyline would bear too much detailed analysis but for those with a basic understanding of the theories of mind transference, telepathy, telekinesis and the like will get much from this. I found it exciting and involving, becoming scary and then very scary as an extremely emotional tale is told. Kirk Douglas, who I am not a great fan is faultless, John Cassavetes at his Rosemary's Baby's best and if Andrew Stevens is a little flat, it works within the tale and is well covered by the fantastic performance from Amy Irvine.

Robert D. Ruplenas I have a rule against watching any movies about people with "special powers." The presence of Kirk Douglas and Brian dePalma's directing made me suspend the rule. I wish I hadn't. This is basically a very silly movie with long stretches of tedium. I watched it to the end more out of curiosity than any involvement with the characters. I wanted to see how they wrapped up the many implausible plot threads. The central character, Robin, has psychic powers and has been captured and held by the usual nefarious secret government agency. But it is never made clear what this agency's purpose is. The many psychic scenes are basically silly and often confusing. There are long seemingly pointless stretches in the "Paragon Institute." dePalma seems to be trying to outdo Sam Peckinpah in sheer quantities of blood splashed around the set. This one isn't worth your time.

GL84 Following the kidnapping of his son, a spy turns to a woman's psychic connections to find him from the former friend who's intending to use his son's psychic abilities into a psychotic killer he can manipulate for the government.Frankly there's not a whole lot to really enjoy here. Among the few strong points here is the strong action-packed opening, with the big action-packed shootout that takes place on the crowded beach that comes off rather nicely with the way it manages to start this off on the numerous plot-lines while also figuring on generating plenty of strong action along the way. With the majority of the film seemingly constructed as an action movie about taking down the spy ring enables for some rather nice action as well, with a decent foot- chase through a series of apartments and a fine shoot-out in the middle of a car chase help this one out as well, As well, the scenes of the two going through the tests trying to find him as well as the utterly cheesy fun of the unleashed powers at the carnival makes for some rather fun action-scenes here that go a long way toward helping this get more of a horror feel throughout here. As well, there's some fun to be had in the finale where it really brings out some nice action and a rather enjoyable sense of resolution letting it play out in this manner with all the different story lines coming to play out rather nicely along with the bloodshed to give this a strong finish. There is a couple of really big distractions to this film, as one of the biggest is the overly-stylish direction. The slow motion escape from the Institute is a prime example, going on so long that the scene starts to slip into self-parody rather than showcase the pathos of the sequence doing the whole scene that way rather than only a small portion. The fact that there's lots of scenes that go on far too long is another big problem, spread throughout that come off as padded and overlong that go on way longer than necessary. There's tons of scenes like this, including the various conversations in the hospital and the parts in the old folk's home are needlessly overlong. That carries over into the rest of the movie with this one being so long setting up the different tactics of getting her to cooperate with them or passing their tests that this one just isn't all that much of a horror film as the industrial spy subplot takes over so much of the film that it holds this one back by not letting those elements get a chance to be featured that there's not a lot of time to let those in. The other minor problem here is the stupidity of letting him be used in that manner, which makes no sense and is destined to fail, though the other issues here are more detrimental overall.Rated R: Graphic Violence and some Language

AaronCapenBanner Kirk Douglas plays former CIA agent Peter Sandza, who is determined to find his son Robin(played by Andrew Stevens) who has been kidnapped by a secret government organization called Childress, (led by John Cassavetes) who want him,(and others) who have powerful psychic abilities to be used in times of war. Peter enlists the help of a Childress student named Gillian(Amy Irving) to rescue Robin, and defeat the evil Childress.Brian De Palma film is high on melodrama and violence but short on credibility, with a plot that seems like an extension of "Carrie"(which also starred Amy Irving) only isn't as good. Still, it does a showstopper of an ending...if you can stomach it!