Awake Movie Reviews

After you have seen the movie ‘Awake’, give me your honest professional opinion about what you thought of the movie. All you have to do is click the email url,
send me your review and I will post it.

• [Susan ]
This was one movie I could not wait to open in theaters. I had been waiting TWO YEARS and it was well worth it. As someone who has had 8 operations in my lifetime, thankfully I have never experienced anesthetic awareness. I could not imagine what that must be like. The movie itself was very good. The one thing that did not ring true was when Clay’s cardiologist (played by Terrence Howard) accompanied him into an operating room after they had just gone fishing together. The doctor wanted to drive home the seriousness of the operation and how Clay might not make it through the surgery. Excuse me, but NO doctor (even if they ARE you friend) will ever do that. Not only is it just plain bizarre to do that but not very sterile as well. Talk about adding germs to an operating room!

The acting was superb. Lena Olin did a fantastic job as Clay’s Mother and Jessica Alba surprised me with a good performance as well. I would say that Hayden turned in an excellent performance. It was the best work I have ever seen him do. Now I cannot wait for the movie to come out on DVD in about 6 months. I plan to buy it to add to my Hayden collection. I would highly recommend this movie! If you liked “The Sixth Sense”, you will like this movie too.

• [Cheryl ]
I saw Awake at an early matinee yesterday. I was prepared to enjoy the movie, but boy, I didn’t realize how much I would enjoy it! Even though I had seen the trailer and knew plot points, I was in no way prepared for the plot twists and turns of this movie. During the course of the showing, I kept thinking “Eeeeewwww” and, “Oh my God! I can’t believe this!”. Hayden Christensen did an excellent job in the role of Clay. Take that, all of you naysayers! Jessica Alba, Terrence Howard, and Lena Olin did an excellent job, as well, to make the whole plot come together. Awake had my heart pumping and I was pulling for Clay. It even kept my husband’s interest and made him cringe. Awake is a pull your feet up into the chair, make your blood pressure rise, never know what is going to happen next thriller!

• [Sugar ]
I saw AWAKE Friday November 30 and I was immediately frightened by the opening scene I thought he was seriously trying to commit suicide in the beginning I have a fear of water and the longer he stayed under with his eyes open I kept silently screaming to myself to please please get out of the tub!!! So you have a general idea how nervous I was with the rest of movie. Performances: Hayden’s performance was absolutely phenomenal he really made you feel his pain and angriest and when he scream you scream inside with him. A really topnotch performance. Lena Olin was also delivered a superb job, my only criticism of her was surprise was her hair I felt her long hair did not suit her character. Jessica Alba wasn’t as bad as most people think I had no problem seeing her as a conniving evil bitch although most men will not agree with me because of her incredible beauty men can’t seem to get pass, that part including Hayden’s character. The biggest disappointment was Terrence Howard’s performance He needs several cans of Kick-ass for his performance and even then I think he would still be wrong for the part. To me not once did I feel that he was a good friend of Hayden’s character he delivered his lines in a totally deadpan manner with not much emotion showing through out the entire movie. A big disappointment there. I have some issues with certain parts of the story which I felt was unbelievable such as the anesthesiologist story line not the actors performance but the story line was off and somehow not believable. I notice a lot of facial close-ups and Jessica Alba is truly a beauty and so is Hayden I was blown away by his looks. I was surprise that he had a lot of sun spots on his face and body and a large mole or skin tag on his back which can clearly be seen. He has to watch that because those things can turn cancerous very quickly. All in All I left the theatre shaking and so did some of the audiences. I would totally recommend this movie as a must see.

• [Kelly ]
I just saw Awake this afternoon and I must say that after reading how short it was I had been wondering if it was going to leave me disappointed, however I was the furthest from!! From the previews/trailers, I knew what was going to happen, but there were moments, (one in particular) where my hand flew to my mouth and I just said “Oh…My….God!!” The twists and turns keep you on edge, wondering just where things are going to go, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, something happens to change that idea you have.

There are a lot of people who judge Hayden’s acting ability by his performance in Star Wars. Well I dare those people to go see Awake and see if they still have the same opinion once the credits roll.

• [Kaitlyn ]
Okay so I’ve been waiting for Awake to come out for like forever so i went to see it opening night and i liked it but the movie was way to short for me and the beginning and ending i didn’t really like but Hayden looked hot so that’s all that matters.. :)

• [la_toque ]
I went to see “Awake” Saturday morning wondering what I was getting myself into, because so many critics(real and imagined) had trashed the film. My mission accomplished, I think it’s fair to wonder whether we all saw the same movie-or whether they even bothered to see it. “Awake” was a pleasant surprise,suspenseful and entertaining. its brevity matched by well-timed, multidimensional storytelling. It plays with your head. And it stays with you long after the film has ended.Like his cast mates, Hayden hit all the right notes (though he was under-miked in the first part of the movie). His was the most difficult role to play, and not just because his character gets his chest cracked. Initially Clay, a man who seems to have everything,is a pawn of the women he loves: the tough-talking businessman pushed by his domineering mother;the part-time lover ignited by his secret girlfriend Sam. Will he break away? Does an act of will have unexpected consequences? Hayden’s a subtle actor(something directors and critics haven’t necessarily appreciated) and here he portrays a man so powerful that he is a “master of the universe,” yet so conflicted emotionally that it’s no wonder his heart gave out. Rather than playing Clay as a poor little rich boy, Hayden makes him a complex character,calculating yet earnest, sympathetic but not maudlin. You root for the guy. And you ache with him. (Boy, do you ever!)

There are a few quibbles. For someone with cardiomyopathy-an exhausted, enlarged heart muscle-Clay is pretty darn energetic. A heart transplant team would be much larger than the tiny band working on Clay; and characters break the sterile barrier in the operating room as though the docs wereworking on a minor cut, not doing major surgery.But to find fault with “Awake” for these reasons is like criticizing “Star Wars” for disobeying the laws of thermodynamics. Joby Harold’s surrealistic narrative makes these anomalies meaningful, while raising issues well beyond the relative frequency of “anesthesia awareness.”

• [Lindsay ]
I thought the movie was excellent as all the actors gave such brilliant performances. I saw it Saturday night and I loved it from start to finish. I loved the unexpected twist in the middle of the movie. Jessica and Hayden were really convincing and I honestly thought that she (Sam) was going to support him (Clay) through everything and somehow they were going to end up happy….ehhh….wrong!…lol. What I love about Hayden is that he seems to approach each role he gets involved in through all sorts of angles and is smart about the projects he gets involved in. This movie was so brilliant as it made people aware of this problem that faces many more people than we might think. And it also teachs people to be prepared and get their anestesiologist check out before doing any operation…..lol. I was extremely happy with the way it ended and pleasently surprised that it wasn’t as gross as I originally thought it would be. It was tastefully done and Hayden’s performance is brilliant as he is always able to establish a connection with the audience to his character. When he was screaming and in pain….I felt as thought it was actually happening to him and really felt the pain his character was going through which made the movie all the more fun to watch. Hayden also had a great dynamic with the actress who played his mom. They were sweet together. Awake is an awesome movie and thanks to Desiring Hayden for letting it’s visitors review the film. GO HAYDEN!!!!

• [Femroc ]
I JUST saw AWAKE and was impressed with Hayden. It was just great to see him on the big screen. I didn’t like the lighting in the whole movie - lots of fluorescent light and it was not hi definition at all. Though I like close ups of Hayden, I thought there were too many close ups. I know - picky. I detected the same kind of phrasing in Hayden’s voice that he used as Bob Dylan in Factory Girl a few times which made me laugh but I really liked seeing him a lot throughout the movie and all of the emotions he showed - that scream was great. But there was a lot of the lines that were inaudible to me. The only part of the story that surprized me was what the mother did at the end - I pretty much could tell what the rest of them were going to do. I would have liked seeing more of the back story on their devious plan to do what they did to Clay. After the ending - I was hoping they’d go on with the story a little more and let us see some more vindication for Clay. I’m trying not to tell to much of the ending in case people haven’t seen it. I did have to cover my eyes a few times - but I was wide Awake to see Hayden. Great job.

• [Erin ]
I was very satisfied with “Awake”. I was a little skeptical about how well Hayden would do in the role, as a large body of his other work was more of the “tortured soul” variety (not that he wasn’t tortured in this one! Whoa!). I thought he did a great job acting the role of Clay—he was suave enough to be convincing as a rich boy turned successful businessman, tender enough as a man in the grips of young love, and definitely pulled off the anesthetic awareness part of the role! I was also worried that at 78 minutes, the movie would leave something to be desired. But I again was pleasantly surprised that the length was just enough to tell us what we needed to know and not get so long as to be boring. I loved the twist in the story—didn’t see that coming! And I loved the way the story ended on a note of justice. I honestly expected to go to this movie just for the eye candy, but I never expected to be cringing in my seat or to be so engrossed in the storyline. I thought they did a great job, and I would definitely recommend this movie.

• [Jennifer ]
I went to see the movie on Friday with my friend. It was more than I thought. I wanted to scream when Hayden (Clay) screamed:O ………..actually I did scream when Hayden screamed :> (lol) I cringed in my seat. I could just imagine the pain. It was so scary because it’s a real thing that can happen to real people. It’s not imaginary, it REAL!!! The thought of that happening to someone is unreal. I almost needed a drink after the movie…and I don’t drink

After all said and done, the movie was great, BUT I would have liked to have seen Clay get “revenge” on Jessica Alba’s character and Terrence Howard’s character face to face, after he woke up instead of just telling us that Clay got his revenge. People (like myself :>) like to see it. It “completes” the story. She ripped his heart out (no pun intended), I would have enjoyed seeing him get his “revenge!!!!”

Hayden was good in movie. Very convincing. It’s nice to see different aspects of his acting. I can’t wait to see Jumper and especially Beast of Bataan; it reminds me of A Few Good Men, one of my favorite movies!! Sounds like a challenging role.

• [Margaret ]
FANTASTIC!!! I’ve been looking forward to seeing this movie for a long time and it did not disappoint. My husband and I saw it Monday night and there was only like ten people in the theater. If there had been more promotion for it more people would have seen it. It was one of the most original ideas this year. Oh yeah,.Hayden looked great too.

• [Hilary ]
I loved the overall film. Hayden’s voice needs some training. Not that it’s bad but I noticed in FG as well. He starts out unsure of his voice then gains confidence as the story progresses. I love movies with a twist. The fact that you swap attachment between his mother & Sam is a great story. Terrence Howard was OK but not as great as Lena Olin. The anesthesiologist is also one you thought one way about and then changed your mind later. Fischer Stevens, I’ve never thought of him as a great actor. (sidebar - not part of review - I once had a friend who obsessed over F Stevens!!! can you believe it?) The movie was just long enough. Now I understand why it took forever in production. They had to shoot lots of it twice.

• [Amanda ]
I just saw the movie today and I was quit pleased with the movie! I thought Hayden did a great job, of course!! What I was displeased with was the ending. I was hoping they were going to have Clayton come out of surgery and be the one to explain what they all were trying to do to him instead of how the movie actually ended. I thought if he were the one to tell the police, then they would bring the focus back to the original theme which was that he was awake during the whole surgery.The ending seemed rushed and strange.Regardless, it was a good movie to see on a Monday afternoon and I was glad I saw the movie. I don’t see movies in theaters, I usually rent them, but I never miss a Hayden or Star Wars movie in the theater!!! I hope everyone else enjoyed the movie.

• [Matt ]
It was actually worth watching. I’ve respected Hayden since he starred in Star Wars as Anakin, who is my favorite character. But since Awake was mainly about Hayden’s character, Clay, I actually did get more feelings for Clay. The movie made me feel tense on whether if he is going to live or not. I did feel grief that he lost people close to him just as much as Anakin lost his mother in Attack of the Clones. Awake is another movie I’ve saw which Hayden played in, besides Star Wars. At least the movie did introduce the character and gave feelings for it. I almost cried.

• [Anonymous ]
After a long period of heartfelt anticipation, I went to see Awake on opening day and certainly was not disappointed. In regards to the people who have suggested that Hayden has a limited emotional range, this movie should make them realize that their beliefs were blatantly wrong. When the unspeakable act of horror occurred, I could actually feel Hayden’s pain and psychological trauma along with him. At first, he was making some innocent comments (in his mind), wondering what the medical team was doing- completely oblivious to the fact that he was about to be operated on while mentally alert. When Hayden’s character Clay finally realized what was happening, his reaction was both shocking and heartrending. At first, he seemed to merely show utter disbelief and horror. As the scalpel incised his chest, the helpless Clay could do nothing but dream (in hopes that it would take his mind off of the excruciating physical torment). As he focused on the entirely unexpected medical accident, Clay just couldn’t believe what was happening. Needless to say, he was terribly angry. Without giving away too much of the plot, let’s say that once Clay learned what was happening around him, he had all the more reason to feel intense despair. The fact that the surgery scene is so horrific is truly a testament to Hayden’s dramatic abilities.

Surprisingly, the movie itself hardly addresses the issue of anesthetic awareness and what social and psychological implications it carries. For the most part, Clay’s awareness seems to serve the purpose of scaring the socks off the audience. There are so many twists and unexpected occurrences in this film that Clay’s ability to feel the operation seems like a side issue.

Overall, I would say that Awake is an interesting psychological thriller. Nonetheless, it seems to defy genre classification in the sense that the film starts out as a conventional forbidden romance story, but later practically becomes a mystery film, complete with a myriad of events out of left field. However you want to classify Awake, I think that you will find it is a film definitely worth watching. Some viewers may object to the convoluted nature of the plot or the potential lack of realism in the operating scenes, but in terms of the psychological drama (which is what the film seems to be aiming for), I think Awake is quite effective. Some aspects of the movie may be a bit of a stretch, but Awake is certainly both shocking and moving.

• [Amy ]
I was excited to go see the movie. I had surgery back in 2004 to remove a cyst. The anesthesiologist had given me the run down of what was going to happen and what can happen if not given enough anesthetic for the surgery. I had seen the reviews for the movie and couldn’t wait to see Awake. I went last night to the Theater. It was a really good movie. I loved all the twists and turns in the movie. I thought all the actors and actresses did a phenomenal job in the movie. Jessica as Sam - did a wonderful job battling her own demons that lay before her in the film. Hayden as Clay - did a phenomenal job. I freaked out when he pulled off the white tape off his eyes and the pipe from inside his mouth. He sees himself laying there and then when he screams and later cries - I really felt sorry for Clay. He goes through a lot in this movie. A well put together movie. Anybody who wants to see this movie - should go. It is one movie I will see over and over and over again. When it comes out on DVD - you can definitely bet I will be buying my own copy of this movie….. You will not be disappointed. My rating on this movie out of 5 stars - would be 5 stars.

• [Marty ]
I finally got a chance to see “Awake” this week, I totally enjoyed it. Hayden was awesome of course and it was a great role for him. The story really pulled me in and kept me till the end. I felt the problem the movie had was it was so short and so many things happened it seemed very rushed at all times. The movie was only like 78 minute long, another 15 minutes could have made a huge difference.

Hayden, as Clay the main character, gets very little screen time to develop his character. Just a couple references were made about him as a businessman, you had to listen pretty close. He meets with Japanese businessmen at a party, overheard news report, and comments from his doctor was about all you learn about him. What about his mom? We don’t learn much about their relationship, he obviously lead a very sheltered life, as any millionare son would. I was left wondering about a lot of things. Hayden was GREAT, I loved the movie, and the surprise ending, just wish the actors would have had more time to tell their story.

• [Ece ]
I saw “Awake” Saturday morning and loved it! It was pretty effective and ends in a way that I couldn’t guess. I actually never watched any Jessica Alba movie before but now I find her very talented.And Hayden was so charming as always and was very into the character. He is a great actor not just a pretty face.And I also have to say that I really liked Lena Olin’s character and I believe that’s how a mother suppose to be.I loved the movie I love Hayden so just go and see it :)

• [Ashley ]
Well, I just got the dvd and I was watching it last night. The whole time I was trying now scream “Oh my God! No!” I think I closed my eyes a few times and covered my ears, his screaming just killed me. I though it had a great story line and was very exciting, amazing. Hayden I think handled the role very well since this was a difficult scrip I assume. I may not watch the DVD for a while since it kind of grossed me out but I think it was a great movie. Way to go, Hayden!

• [marina ]
I just watched awake and it was amazing!! I thought that the very first scene gave the whole movie away but then everything just went twisted and that was brilliant! The acting in this movie was amazing, and i did not expect Jessica Alba to be one of the bad guys!! All the twists and turns just really got me into it. Very unexpected, it made me laugh when I heard Hayden swear because i hardly ever heard him swear and it was just funny! In the first scene i thought that he was committing suicide, but obviously not hey! The end where the mother dies and gives the heart to clay is the most touching part ever, but the most unforgettable moment is when they were first cutting his chest and clay is screaming like no tomorrow, honestly one of the best movies I have ever watched!

• [Amber ]
I loved this movie! Jessica and Hayden were phenomenal! The twist totally surprised me it definetly reminded me of Derailed. But I definetly loved Hayden’s acting…he is so good and I hope his star wars stints will be surpassed because he can act in anything! Anyways ya it was just a really good edge of your seat thriller :)

• [Andria ]
This was the only movie I’ve seen in my life where you actually see a person experience an “out of body” experience. It was metaphysically perfect in that sense. I thought all the actors were very good, and Hayden of course was excellent, and very natural. I especially enjoyed hearing him say “wife” and of course used my awakening experience to imagine myself as his one and only. Not to give it way –I was enlightened at the end.

• [Colleen ]
I received the DVD copy of AWAKE for my birthday in March. The twists and turns at the end were unbelievable! I thought the movie was right on the mark as far as suspense-thrillers go. Of course, watching Hayden in action is always a treat in itself. I can’t wait to see JUMPER!

• [misslov3lygurl ]
It was a short movie but really made me think. At times I thought the mother was trying to kill Hayden, then I thought it was just his imagination. I did not know that some people can actually feel the surgery happening. It scared me really. I just wanted to see if he ever remembered or lived on to miss his mother. Overall the movie was good, and Jessica Alba rocks!