White Noise (2005)

White Noise is a 2005 supernatural horror film, directed by Geoffrey Sax and produced by Brightlight Pictures. The title refers to electronic voice phenomena (EVP), where voices, which some believe to be from the "other side," can be heard on audio recordings. The film is followed by White Noise: The Light.

Plot
Jonathan Rivers is a successful architect and lives a peaceful life with his wife Anna until her unexpected and violent death. Eventually, he is contacted by Raymond Price, who claims that his own son had also died. He says he has recorded messages from Anna through Electronic voice phenomena (EVP). While Jonathan is initially dismissive, he begins to believe that the recorded voice is indeed that of his wife. Jonathan becomes obsessed with trying to contact her himself, despite warnings from a psychic who tries to tell him how the recording can attract other, unwanted entities. A woman named Sarah Tate befriends Jonathan because she lost her fiancé.

Raymond is found dead. Jonathan begins to be followed by three demons attracted by his obsession with EVP, and finds that some of the messages he is coming across are from people who are not yet dead, but may soon be. Jonathan then hears cries from a woman who he finds in a car with a child. He is able to save the child, but not the woman. At the funeral, which Jonathan and Sarah both attend, Jonathan approaches the husband and tells him about what happened. The husband thanks John for saving his son but then asks him to leave them alone. When John continues the husband tells him to stay away from him and his family. Afterwards, Jonathan discovers another person who is a missing girl named Mary Freeman. Sarah is later seriously injured by a fall from a balcony while possessed by the demons.

Jonathan locates the site of his wife's death by following signs on recordings, and finds a construction worker from his company holding Mary captive. The three demons torture Jonathan by breaking his arms and legs and cause him to fall to his death, but a SWAT team along with Detective Smits arrives and are able to save Mary by shooting the construction worker. After his funeral, Jonathan's voice can be heard on the radio through static interference saying "I'm sorry" to his son. The child recognizes the voice and smiles. Sarah, at the graveside in a wheelchair, is menaced by odd noises. And right before the credits roll in the camera flashes to a T.V. where Jonathan and his wife are visible.

Reception
The film received mostly negative reviews from critics, with a 9% rating at Rotten Tomatoes and 9% of the "Cream of the Crop" critics giving the film positive reviews. It was met with mostly negative reviews from users of the site as well, with a 29% overall rating. Despite this, the film was a financial success, making back over nine times its $10 million budget.

Cast

 * Michael Keaton as Jonathan Rivers
 * Chandra West as Anna Rivers
 * Nicholas Elia as Mike Rivers
 * Deborah Kara Unger as Sarah Tate
 * Keegan Connor Tracy as Mirabelle Keegan
 * Ian McNeice as Raymond Price
 * Sarah Strange as Jane
 * Mike Dopud as Detective Smits
 * Amber Rothwell as Susie Tomlinson
 * Suzanne Ristic as Mary Freeman

Sequel
A sequel entitled White Noise: The Light was released in January 2007.