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Coma
1978 113 min United States of America PG 12+
★7.0
Thriller, Mystery, Horror
Director: Michael Crichton
📖 Based on the novel
«Coma»
byRobin Cook
Trailers
EN
Teaser
EN
Description
When relatively healthy patients begin having 'complications' during simple operations and ending up in comas, a concerned doctor defies her male superiors when she suspects a secret plot.
Budget:
$4.5M
Starring
Michael Douglas
Actor
Rip Torn
Actor
Geneviève Bujold
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 1979
— Best Actress
Key opinion
Coma (1978) is widely regarded as a foundational medical thriller that effectively utilizes atmospheric tension and institutional dread to explore the fears surrounding clinical environments. While some viewers criticize its slow pacing and deviations from the source material, the film remains a compelling genre staple known for its suspenseful direction and grounded medical setting.
| Score | Jerry Goldsmith's score and the oppressive, stark visual presentation of the hospital corridors successfully craft an environment of deep anxiety and institutional dread. | |
| Originality | The film is recognized as a pioneering entry in the medical-detective subgenre that avoids common clinical inaccuracies. | |
| Acting | Michael Douglas and Geneviève Bujold deliver performances that effectively anchor the narrative, with early appearances from other notable actors adding interest. | |
| Direction | The direction maintains a consistent, relentless level of suspense and tension throughout the film without relying on graphic violence. | |
| Pacing | The narrative's pacing divides opinion: some find the slow-burn, methodical investigation essential to its atmospheric success, while others feel the film drags or lacks necessary momentum. | |
| Adaptation | Opinions on the screenplay are split between those who praise Crichton's adaptation for its fresh, relevant suspense and those who find it a lackluster translation of the novel with predictable developments. |