SYNOPSICS
The Gathering (2002) is a English movie. Brian Gilbert has directed this movie. Christina Ricci,Ioan Gruffudd,Stephen Dillane,Kerry Fox are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2002. The Gathering (2002) is considered one of the best Horror,Thriller movie in India and around the world.
While going to the town of Ashby Wake, the drifter Cassie is hit by a car driven by Marion Kirkman and loses her memory. Marion invites Cassie to stay in her huge old house with her family, while recovering from the trauma. Cassie becomes very close to Michael, the young son of Marion's husband Simon Kirkman. He is researching a recently discovered buried church from the First Century, with images of the crucifixion of Jesus and many anonymous persons watching it. Cassie starts having visions and premonitions with some locals, and decides to investigate the weird and nasty mechanic Frederick Michael Argyle. Her findings about who she is and the mystery relative to the locals and the town surprises her.
The Gathering (2002) Trailers
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The Gathering (2002) Reviews
Something is missing in this film - no surprise, it was cut
Yes, unfortunately most DVD releases of "The Gathering" are cut, and that slightly ruins the film. Not because a short explicit scene would make a great difference, but because plot holes were left where about 10 minutes are left out: The authenticity of two main characters, played by Ricci (Cassie) and Gruffudd (Dan) is keenly impaired, and that reduces the overall impression quite a lot. My rating counts for the original version, it would have been 6 for the short version. More info about the differences at "alternate versions" and in the message boards here. Apart from that, this film has a really nice and intriguing story, mystery, suspense, some religious revelations, a little bit of horror and a gorgeous main actress. Worth watching... if you can get it uncut.
Nothing new but not that bad
I bought this on DVD (the short version - grrr!) knowing that Christina Ricci was in it and nothing else. What I found was an adequate, 6/10 movie (Ricci makes it a 7, but that's just me) with little by way of originality or genuine horror, but that does not make it inferior to many blockbusters. The English setting gives it a quaint feel, as it looks genuinely normal, and not some movie version of a creepy town. The cast are better than you'd expect, and some of the direction manages to evoke sinister feelings without use of hokey effects. However, unless you are easy to please, an aficionado of low-budget horror flicks, or a fan of Christina Ricci or Ioan Gruffud (or Mackenzie Crook in a non-speaking role) then there is probably no real reason to watch this.
It's the third element
The Gathering has 2 elements that are familiar to us: first, the thriller element of someone who loses her memory after being hit in a car accident, and later tries to recover from amnesia, while the situation gets more and more dangerous because she doesn't know yet who she is. The second is the horror element of something ancient and evil that is unearthed after many centuries, but still alive. What makes "The Gathering" particularly interesting, however, is the third ingredient: the people who gather are not those who want to do something - they are those who wish not to do anything. The watchers of terrible events, willing audience for any murderer. This idea is put to great use here, and since everything else, from the actors to the countryside location, works fine, I don't see any reason not to enjoy this picture.
Good, Original and Mysterious Horror Movie
While going to the town of Ashby Wake, the drifter Cassie (Christina Ricci) is hit by a car driven by Marion Kirkman (Kerry Fox) and loses her memory. Marion invites Cassie to stay in her huge old house with her family, while recovering from the trauma. Cassie becomes very close to Michael, the young son of Marion's husband Simon Kirkman (Stephen Dallane). He is researching a recently discovered buried church from the First Century, with images of the crucifixion of Jesus and many anonymous persons watching it. Cassie starts having visions and premonitions with some locals, and decides to investigate the weird and nasty mechanic Frederick Michael Argyle (Peter McNamara). Her findings about who she is and the mystery relative to the locals and the town surprises her. "The Gathering" is a good, original and mysterious horror movie, in the same line of "The Others", "Haunted", "The Sixth Sense"and "El Espinazo del Diablo". It is not gore, but very creepy and scary. Christina Ricci is magnificent, as usual, and the idea is fresh and unusual. The conclusion of the story is commercial, but it is not bad. My vote is seven. Title (Brazil): "O Encontro" ("The Gathering")
A great idea poorly executed
The central idea of this movie is very intriguing. Think about what M. Night Shyamalan could have done with this: On the outskirts Glastonbury, the remains of a church are uncovered which have apparently been deliberately buried centuries before. Most noticeable is the presence a fresco of people facing a statue of the crucified Jezus Christ. Coincidently, a young woman (Christina Ricci) is hit by a car and taken in by the woman responsible. The young woman can't remember what she was doing near Glastonbury. It turns out that the people depicted in the fresco are The Gathering, who seem to be present at numerous horrific occasions in history, simply observing the suffering. Now, these people are walking around in Glastonbury ... Unfortunately, this idea is the only real merit of this movie. I just can't begin to explain how this movie could have been improved upon. Now, it's basically a great idea poorly executed. With Christina Ricci frantically running around in tight shirts.