Name: Disquiet
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery
Released: 2023-02-10T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Rachelle Goulding, Elyse Levesque, Lochlyn Munro, Garry Chalk

The flickering fluorescent lights of an abandoned hospital cast long, shuddering shadows as Sam, played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, stumbles through the eerie corridors in Disquiet. Director Michael Winnick’s 2023 horror-thriller traps us with its protagonist in a nightmarish labyrinth, where every creak of the floorboards and distant whisper ratchets up the tension. Yet, for all its atmospheric promise, Disquiet struggles to maintain its grip.

Winnick’s pacy approach is undeniably effective at times. The film’s opening sequence—a car crash that leaves Sam barely alive—is a visceral hook, plunging us into chaos before we’ve even caught our breath. Once inside the abandoned hospital, Winnick employs tight corridors and disorienting camera angles to create a palpable sense of claustrophobia. The sound design is particularly noteworthy: the distant hum of machinery, the sudden silence that precedes a jump scare, and the eerie whispers that linger just beyond comprehension. These elements work in concert to craft an unsettling atmosphere that lingers long after the credits roll.

However, Disquiet falters when it comes to storytelling cohesion. The film’s central mystery—why Sam is trapped in the hospital and who (or what) is keeping him there—is intriguing but never fully explored. Winnick teases supernatural elements with glimpses of shadowy figures and unexplained phenomena, but these moments feel more like cheap thrills than meaningful revelations. The narrative structure is repetitive, relying too heavily on jump scares and sudden bursts of violence to sustain tension rather than building a slow, creeping dread.

The performances are a mixed bag. Meyers delivers a solid turn as Sam, conveying the character’s desperation and fear with a raw intensity that anchors the film. Rachelle Goulding and Elyse Levesque, playing Lily and Monica respectively, add depth to their roles as fellow victims trapped in the hospital, but their characters often feel underdeveloped. The supporting cast, including Lochlyn Munro and Garry Chalk, provide competent performances but are sidelined by the film’s narrow focus on Sam’s journey.

One of Disquiet‘s most glaring weaknesses is its lack of originality. While the hospital setting is a classic horror trope, Winnick fails to bring anything fresh to the table. The film borrows heavily from other works in the genre, from The Shining‘s isolated, nightmarish locale to The Descent‘s claustrophobic terror. This lack of innovation leaves Disquiet feeling derivative, as if it’s retreading ground that has been covered more effectively by others.

That said, Winnick does show flashes of creativity in his direction. A standout sequence involves Sam navigating a maze-like hallway filled with flickering lights and shifting shadows, the camera work creating a disorienting effect that heightens the sense of dread. Moments like these demonstrate Winnick’s potential as a director but are too few and far between.

Disquiet is produced by SP Media Group and Government Island, and while the production values are decent, the film doesn’t quite achieve the level of polish seen in other recent horror offerings. The abandoned hospital set is effectively utilized, but some of the CGI effects—particularly those involving supernatural entities—feel cheap and out of place.

Ultimately, Disquiet is a film that promises more than it delivers. It has moments of genuine terror and atmospheric brilliance, but these are undermined by a repetitive narrative, underdeveloped characters, and a lack of originality.

Tags: horror, Disquiet, Elyse Levesque, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Michael Winnick, Rachelle Goulding