SincereFinest disgusting, overrated, pointless

Casey Duggan It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Lela The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Janis One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

MisterWhiplash From the future director of Battlefield Earth, and actually only half as memorable while objectively better made. There are a few set pieces in this kind of dreams-cum-telekinetic psycho plot (with some Psycho flourishes to boot) that do impress - it has a must-see scene if you are into electro-shock in cinema - in what is like discount Stephen King's Shock Corridor, and it's interesting to see where Ivanek got his start before he became one of those "Oh THAT guy!" actors in the industry.But I never really cared about Ivanek's character, even minimally, or about the kind doctor Kathryn Harold who gets fucked with for the first half hour/40 minutes (it feels like it's going somewhere else too, like maybe she could be turning crazy by this John Doe fella... Until that proves to not really be the case) until it takes some... Yawn turns. The Sender is slickly made, with a stock secondary cast of crazies who may or may not be actual patients(?) and at times Trevor Jones (who also scored The Dark Crystal the same year) has to do some heavy lifting.Oh and of course it has a damn freeze frame at the end. Bottom line, it just reminds you of better movies, though Harrold is nice to look at.

BA_Harrison A suicidal young man suffering from amnesia (Zeljko Ivanek) is admitted to a state mental hospital where his psychiatrist, Dr. Gail Farmer (Kathryn Harrold) discovers that her new patient has remarkable telepathic powers, being able to subconsciously transmit his thoughts, dreams and fears.The Sender is a well directed, low-key chiller that features strong performances and some brilliantly executed scenes (the electro shock therapy sequence alone is worth the price of admission), but it is a film that I struggle to recognise as horror, since once it has been established that the disturbing occurrences are actually visions sent by John Doe (as the patient is known), any genuine sense of threat is eradicated: after the vision has ended, everything returns to normal, which doesn't make for a very scary viewing experience.If anything, The Sender is a psychological mystery that leads the viewer on a merry dance wondering precisely how matters will be resolved; unfortunately, when all is said and done, the story doesn't really amount to much, with John Doe being released back into the community, supposedly cured, but in actuality, right back where he started (and free to try and kill himself once more).

Scott LeBrun It's easy to see how a film such as "The Sender" would go on to be one of the more overlooked horror films of its time. After all, it didn't involve a psychopath chasing horny kids with a sharp weapon; slasher films were pretty much the "it" thing during this time period. No, this is something different, something that derives much of its power from surrealism and performance. It never offers easy answers, but it does get its viewers asking questions. Zeljko Ivanek, in the role that "introduced" him, is a suicidal young man who's brought to a mental hospital where a caring psychiatrist (Kathryn Harrold) tries her hardest to get through to him. The main problem is that he has a frightening power: he can send his nightmares to other people. Another problem is that a strange woman named Jerolyn (Shirley Knight), claiming to be the young mans' mother, appears and disappears throughout the story to basically say that he needs to be with her. Thanks to the efforts of genuinely talented cast and crew members, "The Sender" sizes up as an interesting and eerie film that has a way of staying with you after it's over. Making his feature length directing debut here is Roger Christian, a man renowned for his work as an art director, set decorator, and production designer; he'd been Oscar-nominated for "Alien" and won an Oscar for "Star Wars". He creates a constant feeling of creeping unease, and successfully alternates between more subtle moments and more horrific ones. The horrific highlights employ well orchestrated special effects (by Nick Allder), and include the disastrous consequences of attempted shock therapy and an attempted operation. The beautiful, scary music score is the work of Trevor Jones. Harrold has a warm presence in the lead role, and Ivanek, who over the years has emerged as one of the great character actors in the business, is touching and vulnerable as the kid unable to maintain control. Knight is excellent, as is Paul Freeman ("Raiders of the Lost Ark") in the part of Harrolds' more clinical boss. "Aliens" fans can also note the presence of Al Matthews, a.k.a. Sergeant Apone, as a Vietnam veteran, which the actor is in real life. This film begins with an incredible feeling of tension and manages to keep that tension going for as long as the movie lasts. Overall, it's very effective, and discriminating horror fans who are looking for overlooked gems should find a fair bit to enjoy with "The Sender". Eight out of 10.

Aaron1375 I got this film because I read about it from others and it sounded interesting. A horror film that I thought I had never seen! Well, I did indeed see this film as a kid. As soon as it opened I recognized it as the opening scene of the dude putting rocks in his jacket and walking into a lake sparked the memory rather quickly. Well, I kept watching as it has been forever since I had seen this film and it had some good moments, but it could of been a lot better too.The film does start with a young man trying to commit suicide. He is promptly taken to one of the worst mental health facilities I have ever seen. This is mainly due to what they do throughout the film, I mean all it is missing is that nurse from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" to make it the the absolute number one worst facility. Well a female doctor wants to assist this man who is suffering from amnesia while another doctor wants to use every extreme method of treating patients hoping to zap the young man out of being suicidal. Well, this young man has certain powers...it seems when he dreams or has nightmares he has very powerful telepathic abilities. These abilities make the doctor trying to help him and others in the facility see horrific things. Add the man's mother who appears from time to time seeming to want to help, but her motives are not clear.The film has its moments, it really is not a hardcore horror film though. In fact, if one were to rate it now it would probably get a PG-13 rating except for one scene near the end involving the young man and another patient after the young man tries to beat up a television. Still, it keeps you wondering where it is going...I am just not entirely satisfied where it ended up. I just find it hard to believe they would have done what they did at the end to the young man as it seems pretty obvious he still needs some guidance. The gore is minimal, and you get scenes with rats and insects as well. The most disturbing scene was one involving a procedure being done on him as the cut look really good.So this film had its moments, but it was just an okay film to me. Nothing super great or anything. It just seems like it needed more of a point or something. The thing with the mother that was revealed at the end was a bit too obvious as well. Still, it is a lot better than a lot of horror films and it does feature deadly dreams before the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise launched.