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• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: B00070FSG4
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2.0 out of 5 stars FAR FROM MESMERIZING..., May 17, 2006

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Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mesmerized from Treasure Box Collection (DVD)

The premise for the film is intriguing. It is based upon the Victoria Thompson murder trial that took place in New Zealand during the late nineteenth century. Victoria is raised is some sort of orphanage from birth. At the age of seventeen, it is arranged for her to marry Mr. Thompson, a weird, older man whom she has never before met. She dutifully marries him, and when she comes of age goes to live with him in his home, which is run by his two creepy servants. Victoria soon discovers just how weird her husband really is. She ultimately takes the bull by the horns and finds herself standing trial for his murder by the time she is nineteen years old.

Jodie Foster places the role of Victoria Thompson, as if she were doing so under duress. She takes a character that is potentially sympathetic and makes her merely pathetic, leaving the viewer cold. John Lithgow fares somewhat better, as he does a credible job playing the weird Mr. Thompson, doing the best he can with the material with which he has to work. The film, unfortunately, is choppy and poorly edited, the story so muddled as to be nearly incomprehensible. The direction seems to be almost nonexistent, as it looks like it is every man for himself.

This film was originally released under the title, "Mesmerized". Word about the film must have traveled fast, as bad news so often does. When the film was released for the home market, it was retitled as "Shocked". Now, it has been released again, this time under its original screen name. The only thing shocking about this film is that it was ever released in the first place. It is a complete travesty. All in all, this video is not worth buying. The only reason this film was not rated one star was due to John Lithgow's performance. If you are not a John Lithgow fan, deduct one star.