Detective Danny Rourke (Ben Affleck) is still working through the grief he has suffered as a result of the kidnap of his daughter who was never found. That is until his latest case appears to be linked to her disappearance and gives him hope she may still be alive. 

When his chief suspect Dellrayne (William Fichtner) escapes he seeks the help of psychic Diana Cruz (Alice Braga). Cruz tells Rourke about a secret government project that created powerful ‘Hypnotics’ who with the power of suggestion make people believe the world is what it is not. 

There is no getting around the very simple fact that Hypnotic is a bad movie. It is ludicrously silly, rough around the edges, has some terrible acting and a very poor central premise. The thing is though it could probably get away with a lot of those things if it did one thing better and that is to have an actual set of rules that are coherently explained as part of the plot. 

The opening half of the film is so ridiculously tiresome as poor Alice Braga takes on the role of explaining everything to us as it happens. And the premise ultimately dictates that we can trust nothing and that the direction of the story can pivot at will just as long as Braga’s character explains why immediately after. 

There is a point in which writers Robert Rodriguez and Max Borenstein steady the ship and give us some solid ground to stand on but by that point any good will I had left for the film had gone. There are explanations to some of the previous “that was so bad” moments but it’s just another circus trick on top of the many we have already seen. 

Honestly though, it is 92 minutes of B movie nonsense and if you are happy to laugh a little at it whilst turning off your brain then have at it I guess.