Hypnotic Review: Lackluster Script Wasted Good Performances From William Fichtner and Alice Braga

Hypnotic is for you if you like watching films that make you question what is real and what isn’t.

The film begins with a detective (Ben Affleck) discovering that his daughter has gone missing and that a string of high-profile bank robberies may be linked. He then embarks on a mentally taxing quest to find his daughter and put an end to the madness caused by the secret foundation.

Director Robert Rodriquez excels at creating exciting action scenes. There are numerous scenes involving Ben Affleck and Alice Braga’s characters scattered throughout the film.

Reality takes on new forms on occasion, resulting in some breathtaking sights. Although the CGI in Hypnotic isn’t always flawless, when it is, it is extremely effective. The cinematography was also overall good in this film.

There are numerous interesting action sequences in this film, such as chases, fights, and explosions. Which didn’t make you fall asleep.

The sheer twistedness of the film had good opportunities. What appears to be a straightforward story is transformed into something truly perplexing—in a good way. The film throws another curve ball just as you think you’ve figured it out, keeping you guessing.

All of the actors gave excellent performances, but my favorites were William Fichtner and Alice Braga. Fichtner’s character poses a real threat, and Braga’s one-liners and badass action scenes made you care about her. Ben did an excellent job as the lead in this film. Every twist in the film is effectively conveyed by these three.

Overall, I thought the film was alright. It wasn’t a waste of time because it had enjoyable moments but I wouldn’t watch it again. It had good action scenes with multiple twists, but I would have liked to see more backstories from these characters. I believe the film could have gone on for another 20-30 minutes to flesh out these characters’ backstories because they all have unique abilities and it would be interesting to see how they all came together.

Personally, I’d like to see William, Ben, and Alice collaborate again in a film with a stronger script because it has the potential to be a big hit.

Before you go, check out my interview with the lovely Alice Braga, who discusses Hypnotic.

Hypnotic hits theaters on Friday, May 12th.