First of all, the first two reviews sound like they were written by teenagers with short attention spans, who were looking for a cookie-cutter horror movie. Sadly, that's who most horror/sci-fi films are made for.
My review will probably be more relevant for intelligent adults who enjoy original and engaging films.
My high rating is due to the originality of concept, the visual execution of story, and very solid acting.
My biggest pet-peeves are plot-holes and clichés. Modern horror and sci-fi films are usually riddled with them. This movie is congruent and mysterious, with no clichés.
It is a slow creeper, with genuinely unnerving scenes. There is realistic, scary violence. I wanted to look away, because I felt like I was watching real human evil, not another corny slasher scene.
The screenplay jumps around in time, but anyone with half a brain will easily follow. Midway, it all starts to come together. I like films like this because they don't spoon-feed you the plot with dialogue or cliché. If you pay attention and think, you will feel a building sense of understanding. This is much more rewarding for the intelligent film buff.
The direction, cinematography, and special effects are great. Nowadays, CGI is often used to compensate for a weak cast, story, and direction. This film doesn't need much, except for some cool dream/hallucination sequences. The only special effects used to great...er, effect. They are done the old-fashioned way, but I actually felt scared.
Once again, we see that you don't need a blockbuster budget, or pretty faces with limp lines and empty emotion, to make a great film.
The lead actress does a GREAT job playing her role. I believed her and empathized with her in every scene. The same goes for the peripheral characters, although the therapist seems a bit flat and inauthentic, but there is a REASON for that, as you'll see.
The Scopia Effect slipped under the radar, but I'm glad I caught it. If you like original, subtle, creepy, and thought-provoking horror and sci-fi, definitely give this one a chance. It's well-worth a couple hours in front of your TV, and will leave you pondering the pain in your own life.
Christopher Butler has another film coming out called Storm, and I will definitely check that one out too.
