Director(s): Michael Winnick
Writer(s): Michael Winnick
Starring: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Rachelle Goulding, Elyse Levesque, Lochlyn Munro, Garry Chalk, Trezzo Mahoro, Anita Brown, Bradley Stryker
Runtime: 1h 25m
Rating: R
Our Rating: ★★½

During my initial look at the trailer, I was reminded of quite a few TV shows and films that have the same premise. Here a man Sam, played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, wakes up in the hospital after a terrible car accident to find it empty. Think Rick at the start of “The Walking Dead.” In the first minutes we also learn Sam via flashback has a pregnant wife and they appear to be in a loving marriage. But, much like films of this nature can we trust these things to be true? More about that later. In the first 5 minutes, Sam is attacked by a fellow patient, and he has to fight for his life. Afterwards us the viewer are trying to figure out what exactly is happening in this hospital and more importantly where is everybody?

Jonathan Rhys Meyers stars in the terrifying, edge-of-your-seat thriller. After a near-fatal car accident, Sam (Meyers) wakes to discover he is trapped in an abandoned hospital by mysterious and sinister forces that have no intention of letting him leave…

Spoiler Alert: Turn back now if you do not want spoilers – save yourself.

First off, hat tips to the actors in the film, because they are trying their best to sell us on whatever their character’s point of view is – even though none of the backstories really gelled.  There are three main storylines in this film, each of these patients are trapped in this hospital because they are facing some moral dilemma outside of the injury, accident or surgery that brought them into the hospital.

Full disclosure, I am of a certain age and Jonathan Rhys Meyers will always make me think of our younger days of yore, ie Bend it Like Beckham, The Tudors and of course the short-lived TV show “Dracula.” With his character Sam he does a good job of conveying an arrogant womanizer which we later learn he is, but through his actions on screen in this sinister hospital we want him to prevail. He is vulnerable and just looking to the different characters for direction on how to survive and escape. Sam assumes the mantle of hero, and honestly you will like him in that role.

There is an interesting storyline involving Lochlyn Munro’s character, Frank and Trezzo Mahoro’s character Carter. It was touching on racial bias; however the resolution is so unsatisfying, that it made the whole thing a bit out of place here. It is such a wasted opportunity in my opinion.

Then there is the confusing storyline involving Elyse Levesque’s character, Monica, who is in hospital to have breast augmentation surgery. I could not gauge if she was being judged for her vanity or if she was judging herself for her vanity. This is not full fleshed out enough, maybe for time purposes but it is definitely noticeable that we are not sure why Monica is here. She even gives a little dialogue about it, but I personally did not understand why it would lead her to this place of in the hospital.

The problem with the film is as stated it borrows from a few places, it has Cube vibes, “Twilight Zone” – The Eye of the Beholder vibes, even a little bit of The Others. But we never fully understand what is at play in the hospital, even though one of the characters in the end tries to explain it to us. It is neither heaven or hell or in-between. And, then the ending is open-ended – I loathe that, I do not want homework afterwards, I want to be told exactly what happened. I am lazy. But, that is my pet peeve.

HorrorFatale says See It, when you are looking for something a bit different to watch and are in the mood for a bit of existentialism. And, watch it for Jonathan Rhys Meyers.

Disquiet is in select theaters, on digital, and On Demand on February 10, 2023.