Psychosis (2010) Review

By Patrick Samuel

Psychosis (2010)

Psychosis. Definition: any severe mental disorder in which contact with reality is lost or highly distorted. Charisma Carpenter (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel) stars alongside British model Paul Sculfor in Reg Traviss’ (Joy Division, 2006) Psychosis, a modern twist on the cult British horror films of the 1970s.

Susan (Charisma Carpenter), is an American writer who has just relocated to England with her husband David (Paul Sculfor). The happy newlyweds move into a mansion in the countryside and it isn’t long before Susan starts to experience several disturbances in the house; lights going off, bathtub filled with blood and strangers walking past her in the corridor. The people who live in the area also do nothing to calm her nerves; she gets flashed at in the woods after stumbling upon a couple fornicating and a mysterious boy appears outside her window playing football but always disappears by the time she comes outside.

When David announces he has to go away on business, Susan tries to persuade him to stay. David, devoted as he is to his wife, wants to have his own career though, even if Susan is a successful writer earning enough for them both. Unfortunately, the man who flashed at her turns out to be the groundskeeper whom David has asked to keep Susan’s company. As he prepares a mushroom filled soup for dinner we know things are only about to get worse for our heroine.

Though Psychosis is stripped bare of the flashy lighting and effects we’ve gotten used to with movies such as Saw and recent remakes like Halloween and Friday the 13th, it comes across with a very strong documentary-style feel to it. Filmed in actual haunted mansion in England where people still report hearing voices whispering to them and strange noises where an exorcism was once held, Psychosis invites the viewer to watch a woman’s decent into madness even though the things she witness could be real.

Psychosis (2010)

If like me, you’ve long been a fan of Charisma’s since the days of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel, then you’ll be happy to see her giving her all in this homage to Hammer horror. The extras include an assortment of deleted scenes together with the Making of Psychosis which features interviews with cast members, director and writer Reg Traviss and producer Patrick Fischer as they talk about how the movie was made and also about the ghostly location itself, the mansion.

The cast also includes veteran horror stars Ricci Harnett (28 Days Later, Rise of the Footsoldier) and Sean Chapman (Hellraiser) and glam rock legend Justin Hawkins.

Static Mass Rating ★★★★★

Psychosis is available to buy and rent on DVD from 19th July, courtesy of Lionsgate Home Entertainment.