INTO THE LABYRINTH
NEW PSYCHOLOGICAL CHILLER
Into The Labyrinth is a fitting title for this twisty psychological thriller – not merely because it describes the place in which a missing girl was held captive, but also because the search for her kidnapper leads down so many different avenues and dead ends. The film begins by mirroring the disorienting nature of a woman waking up in a hospital bed. She has no memory of where she is, how she got there, or even who she is. Enter Dr Green (Dustin Hoffman), a celebrated psychiatrist who is tasked with investigating the victim’s mind to help her remember what has happened. The woman is told her name is Samantha and that she was abducted as a 13-year-old girl on her way to school. Since then, unbeknown to Samantha, 15 years have passed. While Dr Green assists in helping Samantha to reconstruct her memory, retired detective Bruno Genko (Toni Servillo) is on the kidnapper’s trail. Due to a heart condition, Genko has been told by doctors that he only has a short time left to live, and he’s made it his final goal to catch the perpetrator. Between the psychological hospital scenes and the thrilling chase for the kidnapper, the film builds a complex, and intriguing plot. Into The Labyrinth employs numerous horror tropes that add to the film’s scare factor – from gory attacks, to creepy characters and an animallike monster – and it’s not for the faint-hearted. As you’re immersed in the story, it will play tricks on your mind, just as the kidnapper did to Samantha, leading you down one path, only to tell you that path doesn’t exist. If you enjoy a hefty dose of puzzle-solving in your entertainment, this will likely satisfy, but you’ll also be left thinking long after the credits roll. ★★★★