Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- eerie
- paranoid
- oppressive
- late night horror marathon
- stormy evening
What critics said
Critics generally found the film atmospherically stylish and supported by Halle Berry’s performance, but undermined by a preposterous plot, clichéd screenplay, and weak dialogue.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Psychiatrist Miranda Grey awakens as an inmate in the penitentiary where she worked, forcing her to navigate its rules as a patient.
Chloe’s claims, the asylum’s disturbing manifestations, and Miranda’s investigation connect paranormal events with hidden wrongdoing inside the facility.
Miranda’s medical knowledge conflicts with her own inexplicable experiences after she is confined and accused of murder.
The car crash occurs during a storm, while the penitentiary is emphasized through eerie, enclosed, institutionally lit spaces.
Films like Gothika, and why
The Sixth Sense
shared psychological horror, institutional setting, unreliable perception, and supernatural ambiguity
The Woman in Black
shared haunted psychiatric environment, female-centered trauma, and ghost-story mystery
The Ring
shared supernatural investigation, memory disruption, revenge themes, and dark atmospheric thriller tone
Movie Details
- Director
- Mathieu Kassovitz
- Release Date
- 2003-11-21
- Runtime
- 98 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (2632)
Cast
- Halle Berry
- Robert Downey Jr.
- Charles S. Dutton
- John Carroll Lynch
- Bernard Hill
- Penélope Cruz
- Dorian Harewood
- Bronwen Mantel
- Kathleen Mackey
- Matthew G. Taylor
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads, Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Gothika about?
- A psychiatrist imprisoned in her own asylum must unravel a murder accusation while confronting a vengeful supernatural presence and the limits of her sanity.
- What is Gothika like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Gothika as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Gothika violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Gothika as moderate.
- What did critics think of Gothika?
- Critics generally found the film atmospherically stylish and supported by Halle Berry’s performance, but undermined by a preposterous plot, clichéd screenplay, and weak dialogue.
- Which films are like Gothika?
- Films with a similar feel include The Sixth Sense, The Woman in Black, and The Ring.
- How long is Gothika?
- Gothika runs 98 minutes.
- Where can I watch Gothika?
- In United States, Gothika streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads, Howdy Amazon Channel.
