Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Hypnotic Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 18, 2024

Co-writers Max Borenstein and Robert Rodriguez (who also directs) hope to tap into the joys of pulp sci-fi novels with “Hypnotic,” which is their version of a Philip K. Dick story, mixed with elements of “Scanners,” “The Matrix,” and Christopher Nolan productions. It’s a noir-ish take on mind-bending happenings, and it initially appears to play directly to Rodriguez’s strengths of slightly silly but kinetic entertainment, giving audiences a ride into a specialized unreality with a detective on the hunt for his missing daughter, discovering a hidden world of mind control. What’s actually presented here is far more sedate, as the writing pays closer attention to the mystery it’s trying to piece together than the thrills and spills it should provide. “Hypnotic” is strangely inert in many ways, occasionally showing signs of life when the movie locks into thriller mode, but these moments are sadly few and far between.

Danny (Ben Affleck) is a detective in Austin, Texas who’s struggling to process the loss of his daughter, Minnie, who was kidnapped at a local park, with no clues left behind. The situation has destroyed Danny’s life and marriage, but he remains committed to the work, newly tasked with following a specialized crime at a local bank, watching as Dellrayne (William Fichtner) controls people to do his bidding, soon making his escape while leaving behind a photo that suggests he knows where Minnie is. Desperate for answers, Danny seeks out Diana (Alice Braga), a psychic working as a fortune teller, but a woman who knows exactly what’s going on, sharing news that Dellrayne is a villainous “hypnotic,” with these gifted people capable of manipulating reality for the defenseless. Diana is a hypnotic as well, hiding her gifts from view, but she elects to help Danny with his mission to find his child, going up against a powerful and cunning enemy.

Things aren’t what they seem in “Hypnotic,” which plays with this perception of reality for the entire story, beginning with Danny’s memories of the traumatic time when he lost Minnie at a park, unable to find a girl who was once playing right in front of him. The loss has shattered him, dismantling his marriage, leaving him with his partner, Nicks (JD Pardo), with the pair off to make sense of trouble in the city, coming into contact with the strange ways of Dellrayne. He’s an unusual villain, capable of controlling minds, using these puppeted people to do his bidding, exposing his mission during a bank heist, hunting for a special photo of Winnie that changes everything for the detective, and “Hypnotic” soon adds Diana to the journey. She’s more than willing to explain everything to Danny (and the audience), offering a mighty exposition dump that details the rise of the hypnotics, a secretive engine of government known as the “division,” and Danny’s own defense, born with a “psychic block” that keeps Dellrayne at bay.

There’s a lot to take in when it comes to the screenplay of “Hypnotic,” but Rodriguez doesn’t create a high-tension movie. His usual restlessness isn’t present, looking to calm down and try to fashion a detective story with fantasy extremes, hoping to stay frosty as Danny looks for answers and finds way more to Minnie’s kidnapping than he ever imagined. “Hypnotic” establishes danger in Texas, soon heading to Mexico for more answers, while Danny and Diana become fugitives themselves, dealing with a murder Dellrayne has involved them in. A hacker in River (Dayo Okeniyi) also appears, who apparently brews his own Mountain Dew, adding to the community of experts and suspects. And yet, “Hypnotic” isn’t in a hurry to get anywhere, with the film’s sluggish pacing physically embodied by Affleck, who looks absolutely bored with the acting assignment. Or perhaps he’s going for a hard-boiled take on Danny that just reads unenthused. You make the call.

Hypnotic Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation offers a clear look at frame information for "Hypnotic." Detail is strong, getting right into skin particulars on the cast and their costuming, which retains fibrousness. Sets and locations are textured, with the story visiting various environments that favor sterility and ruin. Interiors hold depth and decoration, and exteriors are dimensional. Color is crisp, handling levels of reality for the endeavor. There's a bright sense of sun and blue skies when outdoors, and sets carry more extreme lighting at times, including a bunker stop that's bathed in orange and green. Primaries are distinct, with red favored throughout the viewing experience. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Compression largely holds together, with very mild banding making a rare appearance.

Hypnotic Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix remains active to support the strange journey of reality "Hypnotic" takes. Dialogue exchanges are crisp, capably handling Ben Affleck's reserved line readings, which border on mumbling at times. Other performance choices are easy to follow. Scoring is lively, trying to work up excitement for screen action. It's synth-based music and retains sharp instrumentation, with some decent low-end emphasis at times. Surrounds are energetic, pushing out musical moods and working well with atmospherics as the endeavor deals with crowd bustle. Sound effects are also alert, preserving a more circular sense of gunfire and vehicle movement.

Hypnotic Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:30, HD) is included.

Hypnotic Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Hypnotic" gets something going with a few chase sequences, including one set in a railyard, which allows Rodriguez to run around with the characters as they scramble for safety. He also enjoys visual effects, adding some literal folding to Danny's new world. However, most of the feature isn't that alert, and the material eventually goes deep into spoiler territory, though it's safe to report that Rodriguez and Borenstein have a dramatic destination in mind, taking up the second half of the film to get there. "Hypnotic" is a puzzle that's not begging to be solved, missing a rich sense of urgency and excitement, with everything downplayed and stiff, making the whole endeavor less entertaining than it should be.