Half Light (2006) Online

I was lucky enough to see a copy of this with my wife recently... and wasn't entirely sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised! The acting of all characters was very good, with Ms. Moore putting in an excellent, yet sometimes implausible (scripting?), performance. The shooting of the film is excellent with the locations adding much to the feeling of the film. There are enough twists and turns in the plot to keep you guessing, even if you think you have it worked out within the first half, as we both did, you'll doubt yourself from then on in.

My one criticism is the start of the film. It feels somewhat piecemeal and directionless, perhaps on purpose to mirror the main characters state of mind, but it just doesn't seem to gel, and the scoring feels the same, however don't let that stop you watching this film as once past the first few scenes you will be tripping over yourself trying to figure it out.

All told this was a well produced, well filmed, well acted movie, and don't believe any of the 'horror' tags, it's more suspense/thriller, and very good to boot!

"Half Light" is one surprise of a movie. The film is about a writer, Rachel Carson (Demi Moore) who tragically loses her young son when he drowns by the dock near their house in England. Devastated from the event, Rachel's friend rents her a secluded island cottage on the Scotland coast so she can relax and recover in the comfortable atmosphere, and conquer her current writer's block. But when she arrives to the little old cottage on the edge of the ocean, weird things start to happen. She has strange visions of her son, she spends time with a man living in a lighthouse who has supposedly been dead for seven years, and the townspeople are also quite strange. Real life terror and supernatural events drive Rachel into hysteria from there, as she tries to unravel a complex mystery.

This was a surprisingly chilling little thriller film, the atmosphere of the whole secluded ocean village was unique and neat, the little village set itself sitting right on the sandy beach. There are a lot of dark gray and foggy tones in the film, which add even more to the atmosphere. I liked the whole feeling the film had, it was isolated and eerie. It's kind of hard to explain, I can't really put my finger on it, but the whole atmosphere was foreboding and spooky. Demi Moore was great, she's a pretty believable actress from what I've seen. Her performance was realistic and fit the film well. The settings are great and really spooky on many occasions, particularly the small cottage and the old lighthouse. The story was rather original, and very subtle with overall good writing. The ending was a bit of a twist-ending, blending real-life horror with a supernatural addition, but it fit well and I wasn't disappointed with it (like some twist-endings leave me).

Overall, "Half Light" is a good little thriller film that caught me off guard, I was expecting something along the lines of cheap straight-to-video garbage. It's quite the contrary though. The Gothic, seaside atmosphere was excellent and well put-to-use in the film, and the creepy little story was well written with a satisfying conclusion. Fans of supernatural thrillers will definitely want to check this one out, it's a good one for sure. 7/10.

I enjoyed this movie a lot since I love horror/mystery/thriller/ghost stories. However, I would put this in the category of ghost story/love story. I think Demi was Demi - not great, but good. I thought it was interesting that they have her coupled with someone almost 20 years younger than she is, just like her real life. I do question some of the scenery. The village looks authentic Scottish with plaster and stone houses. However, the cottage, looks pure Appalacian mountain cabin - certainly not able to withstand hard weather in that part of the British Isles. Also, the lighthouse looks more USA than Scotland. The rest of the scenery looked genuine. I loved the musical score and the GREAT twist at the end. It really leaves you wondering about some things, and that's why I watched it again the next day. I do recommend this movie! I wish it had been based on a novel so I could clear up some questions I still have.

This movie is good, well acted, well scripted, well directed, and above all, it will keep you guessing to the end, I do not know enough about "The Technical Side" of movie making to comment, all i know is, if i see a film i like, or for that matter dislike, then i will make a comment on it, after all its only entertainment. Too many times you read about the, ins and outs of film making, and all the back stage stuff, when really all you want to know is, will i enjoy this film, and the answer to Half Light is yes, no swearing, very little sex content,just a nice put together thriller, enough twists and turns to keep the momentum going. i am trying to find something to moan about in this movie, and to be quite honest there is nothing, Demi Moore is very good in the lead role, and the mainly British cast is excellent Go see it, judge for yourself, i do not think you will be disappointed.

Writer Rachel Carlson played by Demi Moore is left unable to write after the tragic death of her son.

In a hope to remove her writers block she moves to a remote island off Scotland. A local psychic startles her with a comment about her son and after befriending a local lighthouse keeper things begin to get creepy. Is she imagining strange things happening because of the isolation and the fact she has recently stopped taking medication for depression, or are they real? There is an unfortunate plot stopper 3/4 of the way in the film where a conversation opens out the plot to a point you may think why continue watching, but there is still a twist in the end.

R17 rating but no profanity or nudity (but did have short above the shoulders tasteful sex scene). I think the rating came from one violent scene in particular involving a child. A little bit of gore toward the end but not too graphic.

I had never heard of this movie when my husband rented it, and was pleasantly surprised. Demi Moore was excellent, but i felt like Hans Matheson really was the top performer in this movie. His wonderful Scottish accent and sweet face made him extremely appealing, making you want to check out other movies he was in. The scenery was beautiful, and I absolutely fell in love with the light house. It was really neat to see wild horses on the light house island.

I loved the mysterious plot, but the movie left me a little sad. There were a lot of plot twists, and I watched the movie two days in a row to see if I could figure out a couple of things! This is a movie that I will probably buy to keep, so I can watch it from time to time.

not a bad movie at all. more of a love story than a ghost story - but the two are woven together pretty successfully. The ending falls short, but the rest of the film is well planned.

Moore is an odd choice for the lead, but she turns out pretty good - despite a general unbelievable reaction to later events in the story ( but this is more script ).

some beautiful cinematography and settings, and a few creepy moments. Some good acting too ( but some mediochre stuff mixed in ). Its clear why this movie was not mainstream enough for the theatre, but its a worthy DVD rental or download. On the whole Its a strange one - i thought it was very good, but also not very good at the same time.

7/10

It was a really nice surprise for me, I didn't expect so good movie. What's it about? Rachel Carlson is a successful mystery novelist whose life falls apart when her 5-year-old son drowns at her country home. A year later, in an effort to heal her wounds and help her to start writing again, her best friend rents her a secluded cottage in a remote fishing village, where events unfold that rock the tranquil village and cause Rachel to fear for her sanity and her life. The main actress was Demi Moore, and I think she played her role excellent. To beginning, it was a little bit confusing because you don't know that is fake and what is real.

Euro..enjoy

I just finished remodeling my back lanai to watch the Florida skies. I did it in a nautical theme including a mural of a lighthouse in stormy weather. I thought this movie, which boosts a beautiful lighthouse in Scotland, would be the perfect way to inaugurate the new room, And I was so right.

It was perfect. The movie has elements of mystery, romance and the supernatural. From a murder in the past to a mystery in the present, a dead child, a mystery writer trying to recover -- to a handsome, no, sexy lighthouse keeper and strange village folks nestled away in a small Scottish fishing village on the coast of the North Sea -- this movie was wonderful to watch.

I don't understand why it wasn't at the movies when crappier movies are released weekly. Demi Moore reminds us she is quite the actress and Hans Matheson is about as dreamy as dreamy gets. The rest of the cast is flawless and the writer earns his stripes by toying with us. You never really know what's going until all is revealed.

All in all, folks, what we have here is a throw back to the days of Gothic romance, dark shadows and Wuthering Heights with a killer twist ending.

Rent it with your lover, sit back and be entertained.

I think this movie was excellent...i really enjoyed watching it and the plot was extraordinary....this is a must see thriller...:)Demi Moore always gives it her best. She is an inspiring actress. This movie had me surprised towards the end........but i wont say how u will have to see it to find out.....This is something different for her....she usually plays a role in a movie as a seductive person,but here she played as a loving,committed,,stressful mother who feels like she is guilty for the death of her son. Like I have mentioned before, this is a must see thriller....it has many turns and parts in it that really scared me.

I rented this expecting it to be a take-off of The Ring or The Forgotten. It wasn't like either of these films. If anything it was more like The Others. The scenery, music, and photography was gorgeous. The acting was believable. There is enough supernatural activity to send a shiver, but not enough to creep you out; also the violence is more implied, with only one scene with much blood, and a sensitive love scene with only implied nudity. No language that I can think of. I consider myself something of a movie buff, and am dumbfounded that this movie received so little acclaim, especially in the wake of other's like Cabin Fever and Cold Creek Manor which are much more "cheesily" done. It is not academy award material, but neither should it be overlooked.

I will have to say that I really enjoyed this movie. But there is one thing that I hoped that would have come out after the movie did. I was really hoping that there would be a soundtrack that also came out because the music in this movie is so beautiful and unique. My comments are to the music writer, along with the great directing of this movie. I loved the twist at the end. I absolutely had no idea that something like that was going to happen. I will have to recommend this movie to people who like a little romance. I loved the characters and the roles they played. Everyone did such a good job playing their part. They expressed their characters very well, with all the emotions and expressions. Once again this movie was very well done and I hope to see more from the music writer and director.

Besides telling a terrific tale, Half Light has beautiful music - I see we have a petition going for the soundtrack, GREAT! Until that gets released, enjoy similar music by Arlene Faith - check it out at: www.woodenstonemusic.com I just purchased two of her cds, Spirit of the Celtic Violin and River of Dreams. It's hard to find this type of music without singing and these are treasures! Demi Moore's acting ability in this movie really came through - I hope she pursues more movies along this line and reactivates her career! In a rare move, I've recommended Half Light to all my friends and family and have yet to hear someone say they didn't enjoy it!

I think the problem with this movie is that it could not decide what it wanted to be. A ghost-story? A psychological thriller? A gore movie? Movies seldom turn out well, when movie-makers mix styles and elements like that. One somehow wants to know what to expect - roughly at least. I, for my part, had hoped for a traditional ghost story - and I was disappointed when it turned out that the culprits were human. And also by all the dead people, violence, and gore. It did not have any good scares either.

I think the plot was also wildly improbable. A husband and the wife's best friend falling in love with each other, and cooperating about killing the wife and living off her money. Yes, I can buy that. It has happened. But their plot was too extreme and improbable. There are thousands of ways to kill a person and make it look like an accident or a suicide. Especially as this woman already had a big grief and a lot of bad conscience after her son died. No one would have doubted her reasons to kill herself.

But to involve a third person, who wanted his share of the inheritance, and who could blackmail them later...? And to have this person act as a ghost - a very virile, fleshy ghost at that..? And to take the trouble to clean up and furnish the old light-house - and then take everything away again, and make it look as if no one had lived there for eight years..? The longer they stayed in the neighbourhood, the greater the risk that somebody should see them, and recognize them later... Another question: how could they even know of the tragedy in the light-house eight years earlier..? They were not from there.

No, this movie was a mistake, I think. I still give it four stars for the craggy nature scenery from Scotland, and some fine love-scenes and mother-child-scenes.

Initially this had some very good potential. Rachel Carlson, a best selling author at the top of her game, loses her son in a tragedy that all mothers fear. Fast Forward and the viewer becomes aware that she is now separated from her less than successful husband (also a writer) and she decides to hermit herself away to finish her next book. Her dearest friend finds the perfect charming cottage for her across the bay from a lighthouse.

She begins to see/hear/feel creepy and downright scary things like toys turning on, horrible nightmares, visions and the like. Then... a wonderful, handsome man comes into her life - Angus, the lighthouse keeper. He lifts her spirits, making her think maybe life is all good again. He wines, dines and romances her, until she finds out he is a ghost (well, not really). Supposedly he died some years ago in a local scandal - which the local psychic had foretold. Rachel's mental state degrades and the locals think she is a loon. Then in true 1940's fashion, it becomes clear that all the whole thing was some plot by her soon-to-be ex and the friend that rented her the cottage, who is the ex's mistress now. They plotted - using a felon actor to play Angus, to make her death look like a suicide and thereby get all her money. Things really start to unravel here. The conspirators are picked off one by one... ostensibly by the "real" ghost of the lighthouse keeper... and the odd "messages" from her son are never fully explained.

Overall - great start out of the gate and plot thread. I was quite taken with the spooky feel of it until the odd turn to an old 1940's favorite theme noir - with the modern blood-lust at the end. Excellent locations, with beautiful scenery. Demi Moore kind of floats through the whole movie, and the only actor that really stood out was Hans Matheson- who played the dashing, sensitive, yet very dangerous Angus.

In London, the successful novelist Rachel Carlson (Demi Moore) is married with the mediocre aspirant writer and great editor Brian (Henry Ian Cusick) and they live in a comfortable apartment with her son Thomas Carlson (Beans Balawi). While writing a new novel, Rachel forgets the back gate open and Thomas drowns in a lake. Eight months later, Rachel is still disturbed and she decides to move alone to a seaside cottage in Ingonish Cove, a very small coastal Scottish village. Sarah decides to visit the lighthouse in the island close to her house to help in her research for the book, where she meets the lighthouse keeper Angus McCulloch (Hans Matheson). One month later, she falls for him and they make love. On the next morning, she invites Angus to go to a birthday party in the shore, and while waiting for him, she discloses that Angus McCulloch died seven years ago. Rachel returns to the island trying to prove her sanity to her neighbor Finlay Murray (James Cosmo), and they see that the lighthouse is completely empty. Rachel has a breakdown and she asks for help to her psychiatric Dr. Robert Freedman (Nicholas Gleaves) and to best friend Sharon Winton (Kate Isitt) while she is haunted by ghosts.

"Half Light" is a surprisingly good movie, having a great script, direction and performances. The plot is slowly disclosed, in a low pace, and shifts with many twists to the most opposite directions, all of them unexpected, with wonderful surprises. Demi Moore gives credibility to her grieving character and in the end this movie is above average and a good entertainment. The conclusion is not bad, but I believe it could have been more elaborated. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Protegida Por um Anjo" ("Protected by an Angel")

Here we have a decent little psychological thriller with possible supernatural overtones.

It doesn't bear thinking about too closely but, while it's going along, it intrigues quite nicely.

It benefits from a strong sense of location and atmosphere, both in the canalside London sequences and in the remote Scottish coastal sequences. I greatly enjoyed the look of a film which had clearly been put together with careful thought as to how it was going to look on screen.

Shock horror, Demi Moore is pretty good as the bereaved authoress who may or may not be going mad.

I was mildly distracted early on when she left her cottage walking along the coast to the right and then arrived at the village approaching along the coast from the right.

Apart from that, this low key movie was very enjoyable.

I love a good old-fashioned mystery / thriller and Half Light deliciously qualifies as one, with a generous touch of the supernatural thrown in. It is the story of Rachel Carlson who is trying to recover some semblance of normalcy after the drowning of her young son. She is a famous author who has, understandably, been blocked since the tragic event. To try to remedy her situation, she moves to a remote community in Scotland where she occupies an idyllic seaside cottage.

Rachel is welcomed in a conservative, yet not unkind, way by the local townsfolk, but is shocked by one woman who seems to know about her dead son. Being told that the woman is the local nut, she, at first, dismisses the woman's cryptic statements but is soon thrown into an emotional whirlpool when her son begins to appear in and about the cottage.

Just opposite her cottage is an island lighthouse she plans to use in her new novel. She goes by boat to explore the island and finds that the lighthouse, rather than being automatic, is run by a keeper. Angus is the descendant of the original keeper and takes great pride in his family history and his quiet, lonely life. Love blossoms between Rachel and Angus but there are signals that all will not be well.

There is nothing unique about the story line of Half Light. As a matter of fact, it's pretty easy to figure out early on into the mystery how everything is going to evolve. There are some good, shocking moments as events unfold, and, all in all, it's a satisfying tale.

The acting, scenery, music, and general mood of the film are what raise it to a level higher than the run-of-the-mill effort in this genre.

Demi Moore plays a Rachel with whom it's easy to identify. Ms. Moore - an excellent actor not given nearly enough credit for her achievements - provides a portrayal of an intelligent woman with a strength of spirit and mind who is determined to go on with life even though she has been dealt a tragic blow.

Several supporting performances are also notable. Angus is played by Hans Matheson in a a sensitive performance as the enigmatic lighthouse keeper who is able to renew Rachel's passion for life. Matheson has an uncanny ability to delineate the different personalities of his character.

James Cosmo plays the local law officer who is skeptical of the occurrences reported to him by Rachel, but Cosmo does not fall into that cliché role of the doubting lawman that we find in so many movies of this type. Instead, he gives a generally sympathetic performance as a compassionate man of sensible thought.

The local nut is played by Joanna Hole who, also, demonstrates a restrained interpretation of a woman possessed of unique powers who is well aware of their effects upon others. All of the actors in the film must have benefited from excellent direction so as to keep the story in the realm of reality.

Probably, for me, the most outstanding features of Half Light are the scenery and locations. They were perfect choices to promote the moods of the film. We first see Rachel in an expensive house in London where everything is perfect - just as perfect as her life before her loss. In Scotland - in reality, Wales - Rachel is in a setting that is lonely, mysterious and filled with the power of nature. I was overwhelmed by the beauty and power of the scenery of this seaside location.

For me - thankfully - the tragedy that Rachel experiences in Half Light is foreign, so how I would react, or a close friend would react is unknown. I do know that Demi Moore caused me to believe Rachel and all that happens to her in contrast to the response that often comes when we see women in films of this sort shown as almost insane and hysterical. Half Light instead provides us with solid characters, extraordinary views, and a good story - pretty good for two hours of entertainment.

I just got done watching this movie at work. I really enjoyed it. This movie was good on all aspects. The characters, directing, story, and scenic beauty. It had me guessing a lot more than I thought it would. It felt like the first time I watched "The Sixth Sense". All though "The Sixth Sense" was a better movie to me. This movie was nipping at its heels. I like to collect good movies on DVD. I will be buying this one tomorrow. I do recommend this movie to anyone. I know there is going to be some negative reviews. This movie is not like the new Horror flicks. Where the only way they scare you, is by things jumping out at you. Making the music scream at you for effect. That has gotten old long time ago. Everyone watch this one. It's good.

I discovered HALF LIGHT in a cinema magazine and after I have read the critics on this site I thought it must be an interesting psycho thriller. In fact my low expectations have been met more than I imagined. At first, there is the sweat music. Then, I have great respect for the very great performance from Demi Moore and Hans Matheson. I agree completely with all the reviews that the scenery with the light tower is wonderfully done. What I liked the most is that the director mixed many ingredients of the genre romance, psycho and thriller all in one worth-seeing movie. I am surprised why this film didn't get out in the US theaters and in Europe. I think they missed a great opportunity here but for all DVD fans of this genre I recommend highly to see it. At the end my wife had even some tears and me too. A great one that deserves a solid 8/10 and that is too underrated on IMDb. If you liked it you may also try MURDER BY NUMBER with Sandra Bullock.

This film will give chills up and down your spine not because of horror or blood shed, but just the simple location in Wales,UK and a mysterious cottage and naturally, a Light House. Demi Moore,(Rachel Carlson), a successful author of mystery novels wants to have a different location away from everyone and finds this very spiritual place, or you could say a purgatory for the living dead. Rachel encounters Henry Ian Cusick, (Brian),"The Gospel of John",'03 who seems to know a great deal about the Light House and its history and has some fun burying a Mother-0f Pearl sea shell in the sand as a symbol of lasting love. There are many twists and turns in this film and it is very well produced and directed. I must say, I have never seen Demi Moore looking so young and very sexy. Great entertaining film, enjoy.

It has been years since a film in the genre of psychological thriller has left me with a satisfied feeling. The last one to really please this cranky critic was Nicole Kidman's film "The Others." I have to say, after seeing Half Light, it surpasses the latter.

Half Light has everything, intelligent, compelling storyline, creative direction ripe with lavish imagery which really lend itself to the powerful - yet intentionally understated - story being told. When you think about what storytelling is about, Half Light most definitely represent meets every qualification. From Soundtrack and Direction, to performance and screenplay; Rarely does a film come together with every element tucked so perfectly in place.

After not Seeing Demi Moore in anything I'd really liked since... well... Ghost, over a decade ago, I was more than startled to find this beautiful, exceedingly talented who I admit was absolutely an unexpected surprise. As the protagonist of this haunting film, Demi's performance is undeniably moving. This woman, despite her past film flops, is the real thing.

While not a film you have to watch closely, you'll want to. The storyline is so fully realized, and in multiple dimensions, that you want to go back and catch small things here and there that most casual watchers will miss until the great "reveal" - which will leave you literally breathless.

This film is the kind of quality that moviegoers should expect from Hollywood. Unfortunately, because studios have become nothing more than an industry machine, churning out nonsensical, insubstantial fluff, we have to rely on the quiet genius of independent filmmakers to really deliver the impact we look for in our theatrical experiences. This is a perfect example of this.

Rent it, buy the DVD, you will not be disappointed by this clever, clean thriller.

A stereotyped script resulting in increased predictability combined with a flat but nonetheless decent direction leave an bland aftertaste of something seen a hundred times before, albeit filmed much better. The scenery is incorporated in the plot in a stylized way imbuing an overall "cliche" character to the whole endeavour manifested primarily in the various plot twists. I think the rebuffing comment ("not sufficiently mysterious for a mystery, not sufficiently thrilling for a thriller...") received by the heroine's spouse and inept writer in the beginning of the film, ironically emerges for "Halflight" as a fitting portrayal of a "tepid cup of tea", although i am not by origin the most appropriate person to pass such a judgement being not a fan of such a infusion.

Everyone has a real motive to be hyped about this great little thriller. It was the film Demi Moore chose to do one year after her come-back in the overdone "Charlie's Angels" sequel. After constant scripts and offers knocked on Moore's door like it was 1996, it is VERY obvious why Moore chose a film like this. This film was approached in the very manner that her earlier films were, and this film shows that she hasn't lost her judgment. It is also obvious that she was careful about what to do after America went banana's over her still-hot looks, and a strange fascination with younger guys. To me, this was the best possible decision she could have made.

When novelist Rachel Carson looses her small son to the devastating nature of water, she also looses her life. Her marriage is failing, and she is suffering a severe case of writers block. To ease the pain of her son's death, she takes a leave from her home in England, to a quaint island with a beautiful village. There, she starts what she could call, a better life, while it is anything but (Illusions, Betrayal, Fear of Insanity, etc.). As she begins to see her son, she hears him tell her things involving people she knows.

Such a great choice made by Moore, as I said, is very evident by the way the film opens, subtle and soft, with just a touch of eeriness. The films charm comes not only from appealing writing and likable cast, but also from (as earlier stated) the approach. This is what movie-goers want to see when they go to the theaters. This film is painted with bucolic shots and scenery of the European countryside. Hauntingly depicted in long shots, and pacing, in light of a film released in the early 1990's; much better than anything released today, or in the last five years. Director Rosenberg seems to know what his audience is looking for, and weaves the story as if he were writing a book. It is all quite poetic and still; not all violence is mindless.

Such high quality frames and stunning imagery make this one a film you love to watch. You also love to endure the presentation of the characters, and the story through the impeccable pacing. It moves along very surely, but never too quickly, and the tactics it uses keep you in tune with all that is happening, on screen or not. We get to know Rachel Carson, as Demi Moore still enchants the screen with charisma and presence. Other characters are drawn out well in the same style, and the fact that we Americans haven't the best familiarity with the actors, really helps. Why this film was passed onto video is not clear, but one thing is for sure, it isn't a viable reason, whatever it be. For all my reasons, I can only conclude that it was TOO good to be seen in American theaters. Most US audiences are used to fast-paced action crud that only appeals to little brats who spend the day lounging at the cinemas anyway because they're so useless they have no lives. "Half-Light" is a great example of modern day thriller. It was unexpected, it was natural, it was eerie! Most of all, it was REAL! What is not to like? Answer that America, if you can!

Rachel (Moore) is a successful American murder mystery author living in London with her son (Thomas) and her second husband, the latter is a successful book editor that has been unable to get any of his own works published. After being too busy working on her newest novel, to play with her five year son, Thomas (Balawi) goes outside to play by their upper-class lakeside home, only to accidentally drown, thus devastating Rachel, and putting a tailspin on her marriage and her ability to finish her latest novel.

This movie has it all. It is exciting, thrilling and completely unpredictable. I just loved it! Demi Moore did a brilliant job and so did the rest of the cast. I don't want to give anything away, just see it. You won't bee disappointed.