Suspended Animation

Critics Consensus

Suspended Animation offers some gory good fun for genre fans, even if the end results don't quite transcend their cheerfully shallow roots.

Movie Info

Hollywood animator Tom Kempton gets lost during a trip in the hills of Northern Michigan, but finds shelter in an isolated cabin owned by a pair of sisters who have a penchant for cannibalism. What started out as a relaxing getaway, becomes a waking nightmare when Tom finds himself at the hands the two psychotic sisters who plan to make him their next victim. A last minute rescue leaves both sisters presumably dead and Tom narrowly escaping with his life. Upon his return to Hollywood, however, Tom develops an unhealthy obsession with one of his captors that ultimately threatens the life and welfare of his family.

Rating:

NR
Genre:

Drama, Horror, Mystery & Suspense
Directed By:

John D. Hancock, John Hancock
Written By:

Dorothy Tristan
In Theaters:

Oct 31, 2003 limited
On Disc/Streaming:

Mar 23, 2004
Runtime:

114 minutes
Studio:

First Run Features

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Cast

Alex McArthur
as Tom Kempton

Laura Esterman
as Vanessa Boulette

Sage Allen
as Ann Boulette

Rebecca Harrell Tickell
as Hilary Kepton

Fred Meyers
as Sandor Hansen

Rebecca Harrell
as Hilary Kempton

Maria Cina
as Clara Hansen

Jeff Puckett
as Cliff Modjeska

Dan Riordan
as Jack Starr

J.E. Freeman
as Philip Boulette

Daniel Riordan
as Jack Starr

Sean Patrick Murphy
as Fred Phelps

Robert Brueler
as Dr. Leo Sagan

Daniel Mooney
as Arnold Mann

Gary J. Mion
as Sheriff Montaigne

Joe Forbrich
as Production Manager

Robert Breuler
as Dr. Leo Sagan

Denise Bohn
as Correspondent No. 1

Faith Krycka
as Correspondent No. 2

Mike McCalmet
as Joe Moss

Andrew Tallackson
as Production Designer

Glenn Hutchinson
as Bar Customer

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Critic Reviews for Suspended Animation

All Critics (25) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (13) | Rotten (12)

Since the movie's sensibility ranges from the preposterous to the absurd, there are few genuine frights.

Nov 1, 2003 | Rating: 2/4

Elizabeth Weitzman
New York Daily News
Top Critic
A sturdy, well-made piece that never quite overcomes its structural flaws.

Oct 30, 2003 | Rating: 3/5

Dave Kehr
New York Times
Top Critic
The devil -- and the delight -- here is in the detours.

Oct 30, 2003 | Full Review…

Ron Stringer
L.A. Weekly
Top Critic
It has pace and variety and, best of all, it consistently has the courage of its imaginative and daring screenplay.

Oct 30, 2003 | Rating: 4.5/5 | Full Review…

Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic
Feels a lot like two different Hancock jobs stitched together.

Oct 30, 2003 | Rating: 1/4 | Full Review…

Ellen Fox
Chicago Tribune
Top Critic
Describing what's bad about this movie is like describing what's orange about an orange, but suffice it to say that the best performance is given by a crucified raccoon.

Oct 29, 2003 | Rating: D | Full Review…

Scott Brown
Entertainment Weekly
Top Critic
O roteiro surpreende ao fugir do convencional e trocar o suspense pelo drama, oferecendo, no processo, ótimas atuações (especialmente de Esterman).

Apr 19, 2005 | Rating: 3/5

Pablo Villaça
Cinema em Cena
These twisted sisters rank among horror's most bizarro murderesses.

Nov 5, 2003 | Rating: 1.5/4 | Full Review…

Peter Debruge
Premiere Magazine
Somewhere between a nighttime soap opera and an EC Horror comic book...

Nov 4, 2003 | Rating: 3/5

Jeremiah Kipp
Filmcritic.com
It's not a masterpiece, but it's effective.

Nov 2, 2003 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Tim Cogshell
Boxoffice Magazine
Piece of junk.

Nov 1, 2003 | Rating: F | Full Review…

E! Staff
E! Online
Not great but mildly absorbing, Suspended Animation suffices for an evening's entertainment.

Nov 1, 2003 | Full Review…

Eric Monder
Film Journal International

View All Critic Reviews (25)

Audience Reviews for Suspended Animation

Feb 12, 2009

When whacked out female hosts tie a guy to a chair and show him their collection of severed, preserved penises, you know he's in for an interesting visit. This actually turned out to be a much better developed story than I anticipated. Not bad for your standard horror fare.

Pamela D Super Reviewer