Weekly Review -- A mixed bag of tricks

Awake (2007) -- The "medical thriller" sub-genre has not been a very popular kind of thriller during this decade. Some possible reasons for this occurrence might be the pressing international issues, the audience's general desensitization and blurring the line between cinema and commerce; either way, this type of film got a little lost among sequels, prequels and indie darlings as of late. Unfortunately, Awake is not about to aid it in finding its way back. Clay Beresford (Hayden Christensen) is a New York executive who has inherited a financial empire from his father. However, he suffers from a dangerous heart condition, which requires a transplant, and fast. Clay chooses his friend, Dr. Jack Harper (Terrence Howard), to perform the procedure, much to his mother's (Lena Olin) chagrin, who keeps recommending the country's top surgeon instead. Still, her son has made his decision and, with his worried mother and new wife (Jessica Alba) in tow, the surgery can begin. Something goes very wrong, though, and Clay remains awake and aware. Trapped in a nightmare, he tries to figure out a way to get help... The story is very intriguing and the film itself takes a fantastic approach to anesthesia awareness, creating an analogy with a paranormal experience. Having said that, there are some aspects of the screenplay that defy all semblance of logic. I can understand Clay trusting Jack with all kinds of problems but, in case of a life-or-death surgery, the country's top doctor would be the right choice, no questions asked. In this kind of life-altering situation, friendship goes out the window.

**HUGE SPOILERS AHEAD (please highlight to read)**

Another extremely implausible turn of events was Clay's desire to just give up, after everything he had been through and after his own mother had decided to sacrifice her life for him. Even though it was a momentary lapse of reason, it felt like a gimmick and completely out of character. If someone has survived everything Clay has, I imagine their survival instinct would be going through the roof and not be practically non-existent.

**END OF SPOILERS**

The acting is mostly good. Christensen shows, as he did with Life as a House and Shattered Glass, that he can pull off depth of emotion when given an interesting character to work with. Clay's disbelief at his situation and descent into psychic isolation feels palpable and frightening. Olin demonstrates the most nuances in the role of the mother, while Alba shows a lot of potential with an underdeveloped character. Overall, the film is a strange mishmash of dark suspense, good casting and unbelievable twists. Awake is all right for one viewing, but do not expect too much in terms of logic and cohesiveness.

6/10