Awake and aware during surgery? Screw it, give me the tunnel with the light at the end

AWAKE (2007)

Hayden Christensen, Hayden, Hayden, Hayden... you know I think I might be starting to like you. Second flick I've reviewed featuring the young Hollywoodian in as many weeks, and if he keeps picking these interesting, different type flicks, he might creep up my list. 

I'm sure many of you saw the previews for this film, or came across it somewhere, and went, "Ah, maybe". Well blame the advertising, marketing, whatever you want, because take the time, you will find a rather enjoyable, different, almost twilight zone, type of film. 

So, Hayden, is a rich, very promising young business man. He has it all, wealth, a strong future, and a beautiful fiance. The only problem is he has a bad heart. Since he first became aware of his heart's failing, he and a young surgeon (the always entertaining, Terrance Howard), have become friends and are waiting on a new heart to arrive. Now there is a little sub plot involving the fact he has told no one about his relationship with ...(yes, in all her, "I'm going to almost be naked, but continue to not be hee hee", glory), Jessica Alba, as he is very close with his over protective Mother, and she wouldn't able to handle it.

Now there are more than a few very satisfying twists in this flick, a few I, Charles B. Boonsweet, didn't know were coming, a few I did from the preview. Hayden gets the call that after a year of waiting, his heart has arrived. His friend, the surgeon preps him, and he goes under the knife. Now the film opens with two things, 1. It tells you of a medical condition a minority percentage of surgery patients suffer from, which is, being completely, or partially aware during surgery, although their body remains completely immobile, 2. It opens with the young doctor friend, in his office, talking about how his friend dies on the operating table... so it does set you up for a bit of what's coming.

So Hayden  goes in, goes under, and realizes that he is still aware, and can feel... everything. Be ready, it is open heart surgery, and Boony here is not too shy to say he felt a little uneasy watching them open up his chest while Hayden's voice over is screaming in pain. However he manages to calm himself, and focuses his mind else where. Although, he suddenly over hears the doctor's talking about, its time to put their plan in motion, their plan to kill him on the operating table, for his money... Dun Dun DUUUUUNNNNNN!!!!!! ( I have no idea if that sound transfers to print, best I could do). 

So the rest of the film, about half, takes place with Hayden, coming to terms with what's happening, and running through memories to piece together the plot. Let me say this, I don't remember ever seeing a flick quite like this. Hayden's out of body experience while he is watching Doctor's talk about offing him is awesome, and watching him live through his memories, is just fun to watch. I mean, half this movie is a guy with his chest cut open laying on a table. And yet i was completely into it the whole time. 

I can't really go into many more specifics of the plot, but trust me when I say they hide what's coming is hidden brilliantly. There is one scene, when he's walking along a street in his memories, and he starts to pass on, the lights start turning off.... just little things like that really made me just love this film. The one place it did let down was the ending. I was a little disappointed after what actually feels like a very fast paced film, the ending just seems to tie up all the loose ends in about 142 seconds, I wanted a little more... But I can live with that. 

Find time for this movie, its a great date flick, believe it or not. Yes its violent, but its just so damned intriguing she'll be on the edge of her seat with ya. 

Boony likes, Boony likes....

You'll be talking about this one for a while after you see it, get you a water cooler bitches.

Movie scale 4 out of 5