DVDS: SILENT FRIGHT; DVD OF THE WEEK.Byline: JESSICA MELLOR AWAKE (15, pounds 19.99) *** Without Jessica Alba Jessica Marie Alba (born April 28, 1981) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in Honey, Dark Angel, Sin City, Fantastic Four, Into the Blue and Idle Hands. injecting some much needed personality into this very average thriller, Awake would have been a complete snoozefest. Alba is a shining light in an otherwise dull psychological drama and even manages to make Hayden Christensen Hayden Christensen (born April 19, 1981) is a Canadian actor. He appeared in Canadian television programs when he was young, then diversified into American television in the late 1990s. look good. She plays Samantha Lockwood, the PA to Lilith (Lena Olin), a millionaire businesswoman who adores her heir and son Clayton (Christensen) and protects him just a little too much. But, as he's managed to survive a massive heart attack and is on the waiting list for a transplant, she has her reasons. So when Sam and Clay decide to get engaged, he isn't in any rush to tell his mother. Eventually, he decides to bite the bullet and tell Lilith. She isn't happy at him marrying below his station, and her mood worsens when a heart is finally found for Clayton and he refuses to go with her expensive, renowned cardiologist, favouring his medical buddy Jack Harper (Terrence Howard) instead. Harper once saved Clayton's life so he feels he owes him, but the dodgy dodgy - Synonym with flaky. Preferred outside the US doctor, who has numerous medical negligence actions against him, doesn't instil much confidence in Lilith. Once the surgery starts, it seems she may have good reason to be concerned, because Clayton's anaesthesia anaesthesia anesthesia. fails and he experiences the rare but terrifying state of 'anaesthetic awareness' where he can't move or talk, but is aware of everything that is happening to him. The medical stuff made me squirm a bit, but when the twist comes the pace that has been so lacking picks up. The cast do their best, but Howard, as the heart surgeon, seems to be wading through treacle treacle: see molasses. with no clue as to the tone of his character. Olin is better as the uptight mother and Christensen is likeable, despite giving the impression he is suppressing his real emotions. Alba, however, has never been given a role to truly test her ability and, good though she is, this is no triumph for her. Awake is an entertaining enough thriller with an impressive premise, but it's not a great film. Indeed, without Alba you could be forgiven for dropping off in the first reel. Extras are made up of commentaries, deleted scenes and a Making Of movie, plus a trailer reel and storyboard material. STAR RATINGS: ***** Brilliant **** Good *** Average ** Poor * Dreadful CAPTION(S): TROUBLED ENGAGEMENT: Jessica Alba and Hayden Christensen; SWAP OP: Clayton goes into theatre |
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