The Awakening has a strong opening with a scene involving a seance. Set in the post WWI years of the early twenties, the film explores the concept of a nation coming to terms with grief. It is here that we are introduced to Florence Cathcart (Rebecca Hall) a professional hoax exposer and paranormal investigator. Is she solely dedicated to debunking the supernatural or does she have a yearning to encounter something genuinely supernatural? This opening sequence is perhaps the highpoint in The Awakening, as it is clever and thought provoking and could have been developed into a story in itself. Although the narrative moves on and maintains a strong grip on the audience for the next two acts, it never quite recaptures the atmosphere and depth of its opening.