Cert 18
146 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong violence, scene of sexual assault
Phew, that was a relief! I had talked Mrs W into watching Gore Verbinski's A Cure For Wellness without really knowing the level of horror.
Mrs W tends to run a mile away from movies which make her jump a lot or have too much gore and when I saw the British Board of Film Classification's 18 certificate I feared she was in for a very uncomfortable ride.
Fortunately, while there is brutality, particularly in one sex scene, A Cure For Wellness is much more of a psychological thriller than out and out horror.
And, while we both found it too long, we were both surprised and impressed by the quality of the production and the unusual storyline.
The excellent Dane DeHaan plays Lockhart, an ambitious employee of a financial house where the motto could well be 'greed is good'.
The company is about to complete a blockbuster merger but there are dodgy past deals which could scupper the contract and cost the directors millions of dollars.
Thus, Lockhart is sent to Switzerland to track down the firm's head (Harry Groener) who has disappeared to a spa retreat high in the mountains.
Of course, this is no ordinary hotel and, almost immediately, the straight-talking Lockhart is a thorn to the sinister management, led by a deliciously deadpan director (Jason Isaacs).
Meanwhile, patients (including Celia Imrie) have been won over by the charming director and think his insistence on them drinking extraordinary amounts of water is doing them good.
And then there is the mysterious teenager, Hannah (Mia Goth), who is treated by the director as a special case for reasons which very gradually become clear.
It is rare for me to indulge myself in movie geekery in my everyfilm reviews but I feel compelled to report that Verbinski's direction really stood out to me.
From the outset, his unusual angles and lingering camera offer A Cure For Wellness a combination of beauty and eeriness.
I am aware that some critics have bemoaned the baffling, often surreal plot but both Mrs W and I were entranced - even though neither would like to be so close to so many eels in real life (if you have a phobia of them, steer well clear).
And, in DeHaan, Verbinski has the perfect lead.
Reasons to watch: beautifully shot, unusual thriller
Reasons to avoid: might be a bit too off-the-wall for some
Laughs: none
Jumps: two
Vomit: none
Nudity: yes
Overall rating: 8/10
Star tweet
Enjoyed #ACureForWellness& not just because of the naked woman in a bath of eels scene. Was never bored, good performances & looked great.