Oliver Stone's second movie was this classy, big-studio, high-budget horror movie which has a memorable, extremely well-done "freak accident" scene and great special effects by Carlo Rambaldi, but plods along too slowly, especially considering that the central big "twist" becomes obvious quickly (if you think you've guessed what's happening right from the first murder....you're probably right). Michael Caine (who claims he did this movie only to pay for his new garage!) has some intense acting moments, but at other times he seems to be trying to stifle his laughter at his own dialogue! Nevertheless, this would make a compatible double bill with his other bizarre shocker from the early 1980s, "The Island". ** out of 4.
Review of The Hand
