Hypnotic
Directed by Robert RodriguezDetermined to find his missing daughter, Detective Danny Rourke finds himself spiraling down a rabbit hole while investigating a series of reality-bending crimes. Aided by Diana Cruz, a gifted psychic, Rourke simultaneously pursues and is pursued by a lethal specter, the one man he believes holds the key to finding the girl.
Hypnotic Ratings & Reviews
- jackmeatJanuary 13, 2026My quick rating - 6.1/10. The only thing I know about this one is that Robert Rodriguez is at the helm, and to me, that is enough to run with. It is a mystery/thriller that follows a detective (Ben Affleck) on a mission to solve a mysterious case of his missing daughter, and an underground government project. With its good twists, interesting plot, and subpar acting, it provides an interesting yet not perfect entertainment experience. I believe that one of the best qualities of this movie that I appreciate is the direction skills of the filmmaker, Robert Rodriguez. As I mentioned, Rodriguez is well known for his distinct visual style and his talent of bringing excitement into his projects by any means, even at the risk of taking too many chances against common morals and already known facts. The twists and turns in the story are very clever and form the basic structure of the story, making it an interesting watch for those who are fans of the genre. However, Affleck stumbles when it comes to acting, which is somewhat inconsistent. Where some of the performances are gripping and help in developing the characters, some of them lack emotional intelligence. This can be somewhat of an impediment at times, which does not let us sink completely in the story. However, this flick is still able to retain some level of interest because of its interesting storyline and gripping images. This is for those who love mystery and thriller stories that attempt to give you that "mindf%*k" experience. While I watched this flick, I smelled some traces of the age-old Hitchcock thriller, Vertigo. I would think that there was a bit of inspiration lifted from there, just not nearly to that level of film.
- Kevin WardJuly 2, 2025Hypnotic felt like Robert Rodriguez trying really hard to make a Christopher Nolan film but with a made-for-tv-movie budget. (Except then you find out this cost $70m 😱) Many elements and imagery are pulled directly from films like Inception, Tenet, and The Dark Knight. Unfortunately, when you evoke imagery of such films, you’re inviting a comparison, and in that regard, Hypnotic pales. Affleck, Braga, and Fichtner do their best to elevate this twisty and convoluted story. An introduction from Robert Rodriguez played just before this advanced screening and pleaded with the audience not to spoil any of the film's twists. However, none of the twists were exceptionally mind-blowing or even satisfying. So while Hypnotic is passably entertaining to watch, I have to stop short of recommending it. It does not come anywhere close to the quality of the films it’s emulating, and you’re better off watching or re-watching one of those instead.
Hypnotic Trivia
Hypnotic was released on May 11, 2023.
Hypnotic was directed by Robert Rodriguez.
Hypnotic has a runtime of 1h 33m.
Hypnotic was produced by Lisa Ellzey, Mark Gill, Robert Rodriguez, Jeff Robinov, Guy Danella, John Graham.
Determined to find his missing daughter, Detective Danny Rourke finds himself spiraling down a rabbit hole while investigating a series of reality-bending crimes. Aided by Diana Cruz, a gifted psychic, Rourke simultaneously pursues and is pursued by a lethal specter, the one man he believes holds the key to finding the girl.
The key characters in Hypnotic are Danny Rourke (Ben Affleck), Diana Cruz (Alice Braga), Dellrayne (William Fichtner).
Hypnotic is rated R.
Hypnotic is a Thriller, Action, Mystery film.
Hypnotic has an audience rating of 6.2 out of 10.
Hypnotic had a budget of $70M.
Hypnotic has made $16M at the box office.