Madhouse Movie Review

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Set in an unknown region of the US but filmed in Romania, primarily at the Lebada Hotel in Bucharest (which gives it some extra "spice" and atmosphere), "Madhouse" is an eerie, frightening little low-budget movie that managed to really scare me. The quick cut images of "patients", weird goings-on, ghosts, etc. only added to the unsettling feeling of this film. Directed by former actor William Butler ("Night of the Living Dead" [1990] and "Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III") and starring Joshua Leonard ("The Blair Witch Project"), Jordan Ladd ("Cabin Fever") and the wonderful Lance Henriksen ("Millenium", "Aliens"), the basic story is of a med school intern, Clark (Leonard), coming to Cunningham Hall Mental Institute to finish his credits.

The place is borderline Victorian in both decor and treatment of its patients and Clark wants to change all this. Dr. Franks (Henriksen) wants nothing to do with that and insists patient maintenance is the primary concern, although Clark does discover Dr. Franks also has concerns relating to the supernatural as well. Clark is introduced to Sara (Ladd), an intern herself with her own secrets, who gives him a tour of the facility, including the basement "madhouse" which houses a horrific bunch of inmates. It's almost like a carnival freakshow there. And the staff doesnâ€™t help the place "modernize" its treatment of patients â€“ Head Nurse Hendricks (Dendrie Taylor) makes a little too much use of her beloved taser.

Dr. Morton (Leslie Jordan) knows more than he is willing to tell and poor inmate Carl (co-writer Aaron Strongoni) also knows things about Cunningham that he wants to tell Clark. Gruesome murders ensue (death by electroshock therapy is a new one for me), an inmate, Alice (Natasha Lyonne), is seeing frightening images but no one will believe her, Clark keeps seeing a mysterious little boy wandering the grounds and "meets" a mysterious inmate in the "madhouse" after the first murder occurs in order to interview him.

To give away more of the plot wouldn't be fair - this movie has it's fair share of grue and scares but it has some weak moments and it's definitely no "Session 9" for those of us who LOVE scary movies set in insane asylums. Perhaps one should watch this movie and just consider it a sort of low rent "Session 9" with the patients still there. Perhaps more, just watch both of them and judge for yourself. "Madhouse" IS a pretty damn good scare-fest!

MADHOUSE (2005)
Directed by William Butler , Written by William Butler and Aaron Strongoni
Be sure and read our exclusive interview with William Butler where he talks about his latest projects and more!

Review by Elaine
elaine@moviesonline.ca