While watching "Hypnotic," I couldn't help but notice that it lacks the essence and vision of a Robert Rodriguez film; at the same time, it also lacks the distinctive touch of any notable director. Instead, it falls into the realm of generic, direct-to-streaming movies that have flooded the market over the past decade. But all of that said, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't enjoy this movie, because I did.

I'm a die-hard Ben Affleck fan, so take this review with a grain of salt, because I am biased in that regard; it's always enjoyable to watch him on the big screen, and his performance in "Hypnotic" is no exception, even if he did look like he hated his life in the role. It's clear he's not giving it his all in this performance, but for me personally, it didn't detract from the viewing experience (and to give you another perspective, my mum, who is not a Ben Affleck fan, thought he was great in his role, so keep that in mind). Regardless, the point I am trying to make in this paragraph is that - for me - Affleck's presence immediately added entertainment value to the film; but, taking Affleck out of the equation, how does the movie stack up? Not half bad, but not all that good either - a guilty pleasure if you will.

You see, "Hypnotic" feels like any other straight-to-Netflix movie released during the pandemic era - the movie embraces its cheesiness with a washed-out visual style, a seemingly shoestring budget, and so called "action sequences" that lean more toward generic car crashes than intricately choreographed fist fights and thrilling shootouts. It's nothing particularly exciting or innovative, but all of it is wrapped around a story that did genuinely have me engaged. Being about a "detective who investigates a mystery involving his missing daughter and a secret government program," (shouts out IMDb for the synopsis),"Hypnotic" is - at first - like nothing that you haven't already seen. However, as the film progresses, I have to admit that the movie took me by surprise, going places that I genuinely didn't expect, leading to a second half and a final act that had me legitimately intrigued, if not riveted.

I'm finding this an increasingly hard movie to review, because while I wouldn't recommend it and wouldn't say that it's good, something about it struck some type of chord with me; "Hypnotic" doesn't work as an action movie, and it doesn't work as a drama, but it does work as a B-movie science-fiction mystery that has enough entertainment value through its twists and turns to keep you guessing. By no means a theatre experience, if you're going to watch this, watch it at home with some friends and a couple of beers - no doubt the ideal viewing method. This is a ridiculous one, but it's one that you can definitely have some fun with as long as you temper your expectations and realize that, while this isn't a good film, it is an entertaining one.

Robert Rodriguez is an immensely gifted cinematographer and has quite a vivid imagination, and both of these great qualities are abundant in Hypnotic. It has a wonderfully clever concept that keeps the film watchable and subversive twists that keep the experience unique.

Sadly, what keeps this movie from being powerful and memorable is it's excessive reliance on exposition. So much of it is necessary to explain the overly complex plot and possibly over half of the dialogue is clumsily-written rapid-fire exposition. It just isn't fun.

And the script keeps us from forming any sort of emotional connection with this story because it's so concerned with explaining WHAT is happening that it forgets to let us in on the intimacies of WHY it's all happening-who these people are, really, and why we should care.

I find this to be a very frustrating film, because it had so much more potential than was tapped into by this extremely rough screenplay.

I watched an early screening of Hypnotic as part of Regal's Mystery Movie Monday. I did not know what movie I was going to watch. And I had never heard of Hypnotic or seen a trailer. This is as blind as I've ever gone into a movie.

Hypnotic is an interesting mystery with a cool premise. I enjoyed the story and the way it was told. I was mildly intrigued throughout. There are some really cool scenes with good visuals. And it has some compelling and creative ideas with how to use the premise.

At the same time, I wish I liked it more. Not everything works. A lot of it feels like it could have been done better. And I wasn't emotionally invested in the characters or the story. At times I felt like it should have been a streaming movie.

I still had a good time with Hypnotic and am glad I watched it. It's good for a one-time viewing. And it was cool to see Affleck and Fichtner in a movie together for the first time since Armageddon and Pearl Harbor.

(1 viewing, early screening Mystery Movie Monday 5/1/2023)

Mini review of Regal Cinema's Mystery Movie Monday:

I generally don't watch trailers and try to avoid every detail about any movie I plan on watching. I would even prefer not to know the actors and director. So when I heard about this, I was immediately interested. To watch a movie without knowing the genre or even the title?!?! I had to try it. Plus it's only $5.

Of course there is a risk of it being a movie I have no interest in. I don't mind if the movie ends up being bad, as long as it's something in the general range of what I go for. I got lucky with this one. I imagine I will not be pleased if it ends up being a chick flick.

My only problem with this experience is that, right before the movie started, the director has a voice over telling us the title, director and actors. He doesn't say what it's about, but he says something like, "get ready for the ##### and #####," which told me what I was in for.

I tried plugging my ears but I heard most of it. I wish the movie just started and let me find out who's in it and what I was in for.