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| The Forgotten | 
| Category: Movie
This item is no longer available
Avg. Customer Rating:  278 reviews
Sales Rank: 7288
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: Video On Demand
Running Time: 95 minutes
ASIN: B000T4349G
Theatrical Release Date: September 23, 2004
Release Date: November 25, 2008 (New: Last 30 Days)
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| Customer Reviews:
 Forgettable November 8, 2004
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Truth be told, I didn't expect much from "The Forgotten" But when it came to one of my favorite theaters where the show is $3 and they have a sourdough philly cheesesteak I figured what have I got to lose? The answer to that is $3 dollars and roughly 2 hours. "The Forgotten" is a incredibly bad film. NO ANSWERS are provided to the film's key questions and I'm assuming the logic behind that was "who wants story when we can make really loud explosions and extended and ridiculous chase sequences? Rent "Dark City" instead.
"On September 24th, you will be forgotten." November 5, 2004
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
"The Forgotten" is a creepy, chill-inducing, supernatural thriller that could've been a truly great film. All of the elements are there; a strong cast (Julianne Moore, Dominic West, Gary Sinise), a fascinating plot, eerie music and cinematography, and enough on-screen jolts to leave you with an empty popcorn bag by film's end.
The problem is this; the screenwriters set up such an enigmatic, mind-boggling story that it soon became apparent to me that a plausible, satisfying explanation would not be possible. And I was right. "The Forgotten" starts off with great promise but it ultimately has nowhere to go. The script becomes so tripped-up in itself that it ultimately results to cheap, supernatural occurrences in order to explain away everything that's happened throughout the entire film. I felt cheated.
Once the filmmakers resort to a certain overly-used special effect to pull their picture out of a nosedive, "The Forgotten" shape-shifts from a psychological thriller to science fiction and lastly to comedy, and unintentional comedy at that.
This wasn't easy film to bring together, I'm sure. The filmmakers tried to keep a balance between creepy weirdness and unbelievability. However, the final premise was just a little too silly to really believe. I was frustrated with this film because I think it actually backed itself into a corner, and then took the cliche out.
Overall, "The Forgotten" is a truly frightening and entertaining film despite its glaring story problems. I loved how I was getting goose bumps, jumping out of my seat, and yelping throughout the movie. It was a fun, SCARY experience and I can unashamedly say that I enjoyed myself.
Wonderful premise, disappointing film (includes spoilers) November 4, 2004
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
I wish I'd stumbled across this late one night on TV, with no idea of what it was going to be about. But if, like me, you've seen the trailer, then don't even bother. You'll be waiting 85 minutes for confirmation of everything you've already guessed. It's a good-looking, well-crafted movie of course, with a wonderful cast and a delicious premise, but it's let down by the screenplay. About on par with a reasonable episode of "The X-Files", Gerald Di Pego's tale of abducted children and their seemingly delusional parents falls too quickly into the repetitive pattern of a chase movie and never really makes the most of the potential for ambiguity at its core. There's nothing clever about it, nothing that throws you off. Nor, once all is revealed, does it sufficiently explain how the aliens managed to do what they did, or when, or why. I presume we're meant to forget about that as our eyes well up over scenes of familial reunion. Whatever. This could have been a wonderful story about the psychology of grief or a creepy sci-fi thriller. In the end, it manages to be neither - trivializing one for the sake of the other. Julianne Moore fans might be interested to see her give another emotionally-fraught-yet-filled-with-inner-resolve performance, but that's about all that's really of interest here.
 A suspenseful, thoughtful sci-fi film with pro-life message October 30, 2004
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
The trailers for this film showed suspense and mystery, with a hint of science fiction. The premise is that a woman who is struggling to recover from the death of her son in a plane accident is suddenly confronted by blank photos, neighbors who don't remember him, and a therapist telling her she is delusional and he never existed.
This is a great foundation of course, and the movie takes off from there. While watching you are not sure if she is right and everyone else wrong, or if she really did imagine her son existing. I won't spoil the plot by telling you what happens, but it is pretty well done. Julianne Moore is fabulous throughout in one of her best roles, as are several of her supporting cast. However, this is clearly her picture and she carries it easily.
Of course there are the usual plot holes, moments where you have to seriously suspend your disbelief, but this is to be expected in this genre. There are genuine moments where being startled is an understatement, so be prepared to jump a few times.
The most powerful message is also perhaps the most subtle. The bond between a mother and child extends to the unborn child; this is depicted clearly and is a direct assault on the nonsense that forms the foundation of the pro-choice abortion philosophy. This film depicts that unborn child as far more than just mere tissue to be discarded at whim, but fully a human being with value.
Overall, a good film, some really well done moments that will shock you out of your seat, or at least startle and surprise you. I would not call this a great film for the ages, but a very entertaining one. Highly recommended.
GREAT TILL ABOUT 20 MINUTES LEFT IN THE MOVIE October 24, 2004
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
This movie was great and filled with a lot of suspense at some points. Julianne Moore acts well in this one. I can't really say what happens throughout the movie or it'll spoil it for you. It was good until the end of the movie though. It has one of those suprise endings. For a lot of the movie I was trying to think what the ending was gonna be and it kind of seemed like it would be a logical ending but then when I saw the ending it turned out just to be another one of those sci-fi endings and turned it into a sci fi movie I didn't really think about the movie after.
OVERALL it is a good movie to go see but I don't think I'll buy it on DVD.
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