Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Two investigators of paranormal hoaxes, the veteran Dr. Margaret Matheson and her young assistant, Tom Buckley, study the most varied metaphysical phenomena with the aim of proving their fraudulent origins. Simon Silver, a legendary blind psychic, reappears after an enigmatic absence of 30 years to become the greatest international challenge to both orthodox science and professional sceptics. Tom starts to develop an intense obsession with Silver, whose magnetism becomes stronger with each new manifestation of inexplicable events. As Tom gets closer to Silver, tension mounts, and his worldview is threatened to its core.
Red Lights is a competent paranormal thriller elevated by a strong cast (Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver, Robert De Niro) and a genuinely tense first two acts. The investigation procedural framework is engaging and the film builds atmosphere well. However, the ending is a significant weak point — the twist feels rushed and poorly foreshadowed, undermining much of what was built, and has been widely criticized as a disappointing resolution. The cinematography is functional but unremarkable for the genre, and while the skepticism-vs-paranormal premise is interesting, the execution doesn't quite distinguish itself enough to earn a standout novelty score.