Stonehearst Asylum (2014)

After finally finishing all of the available episodes of Agents of SHIELD, I was excited to find something a touch different when I made my latest trip to Family Video. Being a fan of Edgar Allan Poe, I love finding adaptations of his works and grab them whenever I can. That made today’s trip awesome when I found the 2014 entry Stonehearst Asylum (AKA Eliza Graves).

Plot/ A recent medical school grad who takes a position at a mental institution soon finds himself taken with one of his colleagues - though he has no initial idea of a recent, horrifying staffing change.

Being a huge fan of Poe, I had to grab Stonehearst Asylum as soon as I saw it on the shelf. Yes, some of the recent adaptations (even loose ones) have been uneven; I always hold out hope. This movie is one of the better efforts, pulling together the amazing cast into a tight/coherent gothic thriller. The atmosphere works in a manner that keeps the movie suspenseful and dark, the cinematography is sharp, and there are enough intrigue to keep you entertained. Yes, there is a lack of overall humor like in the source story, but that definitely is a small flaw that does not impact the final product. In the end, this is a solid (albeit loose) Poe adaptation and an entertaining flick. If you are like me and love his writing, give it a shot. It is a movie that should be seen.