Regression (2015) Review

Lucas Versantvoort / 24 Nov 2015

Being a nineties kid, I didn't experience the supposed social panic surrounding satanic cults in the eighties, which is where Regression draws its inspiration, claiming to be inspired (not even 'based on') by true events. Both Regression's success and failure can be linked back to its final plot twist, a twist that--while surprising--undoes all that comes before.

John Gray is accused by his own daughter, Angela (Emma Watson) of sexual abuse. There's only one problem: he doesn't remember it at all. Detective Bruce Kenner (Ethan Hawke) takes an interest in the case. As he digs deeper and deeper together with a psychologist, he becomes convinced that a satanic cult are operating behind the scenes. Needless to say, his tireless pursuit of the truth starts to take its toll on his own mental health.

Any and all discussion of Regression starts and ends with the final plot twist. Spoilers ahead. All I can say is that it changes everything, but not in a good way. This is where the setting and the obsession with satanic cults comes into play. It turns out that Angela made everything up just to get away from her family. (The film makes it sound slightly more plausible.) This throws the entire satanic cult theme straight into the trash. I guess Regression tried to do a reverse Rosemary's Baby by there not being a cult at all. However, the film seems bent on pointing the finger at you and shaming you for believing it. The fact that you went along with it, the film seems to suggest, is proof how easily this kind of collective hysteria could exist. I get that and it's a decent concept, but...that's real life; this is film. We've seen stranger stuff than this. You can't dangle satanic cults in front of the audience for ninety percent of the film, do a 180 and then mock the audience for even buying it for a second. 

Also, the twist undoes all that has come before. What we're left with is a sociopathic girl and a bunch of nightmare sequences. Now that there's no cult, all the twists and reveals start to feel a little too convenient. The film tries to explain it away with regression therapy inducing false memories and the effects (nightmares, etc.) of social panic, but it feels thin and certainly doesn't make for gripping storytelling. 

Regression tries to be something more than just a generic horror flick. You can tell simply by the fact that the jumpscares are kept to a minimum. Also, when you consider the director's previous efforts, it feels like the end result should've been something like a thinking man's horror film, but it just never gets there and not even the actors' best efforts can save it.