A crew of workers are hired to clean asbestos out of a long-abandoned psychiatric institution. The job is rushed, but otherwise should be routine. But their work is complicated by simmering tensions amongst its members which are on the verge of boiling over.
Meanwhile as the crew delves further into the building and its horrific history, it seems almost as if the past is coming back to haunt them. This is exacerbated when one of the crew members plays recordings of sessions with a disturbed young woman suffering from a multiple personality disorder. Each session brings us closer to the truth about the reasons behind her placement in the institution, all of which is finally revealed in session 9. But by then, it may be too late.
I will admit that when I turned it on and realized David Caruso was one of the stars, thoughts of CSI Miami went through my head and doubts began to form. But this might be the best thing the guy has done, and its undeniably effective, as is Peter Mullan and the rest of the cast.
Session 9 is a legitimately scary, suspenseful, and mysterious movie. From the moment they set foot in the old building the mood is set. It's dark, spooky, you expect ghosts to jump out at you any second and nothing seems safe. There is a heavy feeling that something awful has happened, is happening, will happen. But you won't know what it is until the end.
The team itself seems ready to explode with anger, and possibly violence, at any given moment as personal difference and emotions are exacerbated by the race to finish the job. Meanwhile two mysteries unfold in tandem as one of the team members listens to the disturbing session recordings. What is happening to the team? What is happening to the girl in the recordings? The answer to both becomes clear only as the film comes to its unsettling end.
Session 9 is the type of horror that most film makers have forgotten how to make. It does more than merely assault you with gruesome visuals, it attacks your imagination, toys with your understanding of reality, and is completely uncompromising. It's the kind of complex, powerful horror film that you would be hard pressed today to find outside of the world of independent films like this one.
4 bloody hazmat suits out of 5
Rated R for language and brief strong violence
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