Posted: Tuesday 19th August 2008

Thousands of people undergo anaesthesia every year, the majority with no problems. Unfortunately one in 700 people wake up during surgery but remain paralyzed, unable to communicate with anyone. Clay Beresford (Hayden Christensen) is one of those people, and when he wakes up during open heart surgery he finds out more about his life then he could have away from the operating table. Whilst his mother (Lena Olin) and new wife Sam (Jessica Alba) patiently sit in the waiting room, they are unaware that Clay is fighting for his life and his defected heart isn't the only threat to his life.

Awake received a critical mauling on both sides of the Atlantic when it was released theatrically. With a slight feeling of dread we watched the movie and we're surprised to report back that it doesn't deserve the bad reputation it has garnered. Awake isn't a fantastic movie and whilst it manages to entertain for its relatively short duration, it suffers from being a bit of a muddle. The problem with the movie is that it doesn't really know what it wants to be. The first half sits firmly in drama whereas the second half switches the genre and tries to become a thriller. The two halves feel disjointed and whilst the second half is more interesting than the first, the end result falls a bit short of the mark.

Hayden Christensen actually manages to surprise as Clay Beresford. Having previously proven to be as charismatic as a wooden plank, Christensen actually manages to play the role with conviction. You feel his torment as he lies on the operating table aware of what is going on but unable to do anything. We winced several times when the surgeons rip his chest open to get to his heart, all the while with Clay providing a commentary of the pain he feels. As for the rest of the cast Jessica Alba has very little to do as Clay's new wife Sam and spends the majority of the film speaking in a whispered tone and looking miserable. Lena Olin fares mildly better as Clay's over-protective mother. We're used to seeing her as Sydney Bristow's gung-ho mother in Alias so it's refreshing to see her playing a different kind of role.

Extras on the DVD include an audio commentary with writer/director Joby Harold, a selection of deleted scenes with optional commentary, a trailer reel and a behind-the-scenes featurette.

Awake is a muddle of a movie but that's not to say it isn't enjoyable. The subject matter alone is intriguing (and horrifying) and some scenes in the movie are a little difficult to sit through. If, like us, your idea of a nightmare is waking up during surgery then Awake will play on your worst fears. The best way to approach this movie is with caution but if you ignore the negativity around it, you may find that there's enough here to enjoy.