The Skeleton Key (2005)

Fearing Is Believing

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Release Date: Jul 29, 2005
Rated: PG-13 | Runtime: 104 Mins | Language: English
Director: Iain Softley
Stars: Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, Peter Sarsgaard, John Hurt, Joy Bryant, Marion Zinser, Maxine Barnett

Summary

Caroline, a good-natured nurse living in New Orleans (aka N'awlins), quits her job at a hospice to work for an elderly woman whose husband is in poor health following a stroke. When Caroline begins to explore the couple's rundown Bayou mansion, she discovers strange artifacts and learns the house has a mysterious past. As she continues to investigate, she realizes that the lady of the house is keeping a sinister secret about the cause of Ben's illness.

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What to Expect

The Skeleton Key takes place in New Orleans (aka N'awlins) and is often mistaken for being about Voodoo, but the story actually follows practitioners of Hoodoo. Hoodoo is different from Voodoo in that it's not an actual religion and was started by enslaved African Americans. Voodoo was started in Africa and has official branches in various countries such as Haiti and has leaders, representatives and services. Hoodoo is made up of individuals who practice Earthy rituals, for both good and evil. They both look similar from the outside, but Hoodoo is more of a grassroots thing.

The Skeleton Key has a mystery that pulls you in quick, which is about this run down estate with over 30 rooms, all of which can be opened with a skeleton key... except for one. Curiosity of course gets the better of Caroline, our protagonist, who forces her way into the mystery room only to find a bunch of mysterious artifacts, books and signs of Hoodoo rituals. She of course starts t Read more...

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Movie Review: The Skeleton Key (2005) Review

Critic Reviews:

Ever since The Sixth Sense, thriller “twists” have become increasingly lame and pointless, but in The Skeleton Key, it actually works quite well — and might actually be a bit funny, depending on your point of view and political affiliation.

– Black Horror Movies

Stirring up a humid Gothic mood and amassing a gifted roster of actors, "The Skeleton Key" is unable to ward off the nasty spirits of formula screenwriting.

– Variety

Save for its silly doozy of an ending, it’s all very boring and ridiculous.

– Slant Magazine