This supernatural shocker from the Hammer Films stable, directed by John Pogue, actually has some decent moments. In Seventies Oxford, a charismatic professor (Jared Harris) persuades a group of students to help him cure — and film — a disturbed young woman (Olivia Cooke).
Anyone who’s seen James Marsh’s fantastic documentary Project Nim will get goosebumps as the experiment begins to unravel. But the horrors of human fallibility give way to more predictable and silly upsets (yes, it’s our old friend telekinesis!), and though Harris and Cooke are wonderful together, other cast members — notably Erin Richards as sexy posh girl Kristina — are a problem. I’ve long had a theory that bad thesps have the ability to neutralise fear. Richards’ powers are off the chart.
