The premise is good, The acting is really good. As for the 1st 10 15 minutes of the film the interplay of the main characters, setting the stage was just awesome. I myself could only wish to have an entrance to a party like that! The ending however was a bit of a let down and slightly left me a bit disappointed. But the film itself is worthy o being in my limited collection.

I liked the beginning very much. the story starts to become a bit grotesque at the middle, but I think that for a sci-fi movie from year 1980 this can be acceptable.what really disappointed me is the end, so abrupt and willful to be "romantic" in some sense, but really disrupted all the pathos of the movie, at least for me.the hallucinations are really stunning (although they didn't touch me to the same point of "The devils" my the same director) and the visual effects are really great for the time.a pity that everything is ruined by the last 15 seconds..

I liked the movie at the start of the film. The more I watched, the deeper I became engrossed in the story and found it somewhat believable. Then ending came -- I rolled my eyes and laughed -- I could not believe how it ended so dumb! I guess I was expecting a realistic approach to the ending and not a monstrous flop because the rest of the move was almost believable.I know that the movie is loosely based on Dr. John Lilly's real life experiments from the 1960's - and that is why a plausible ending to the movie should have been scripted. Altered States needs an altered ending.If there is a ever a remake of this film or a completely different version of Dr. John Lilly's experiments made - then I will implore the scriptwriters to create a realistic approach to the ending - Altered States had a terrible ending.A humorous ending: Watch the ending of the 1980 Altered States then watch about the last 30 seconds of the old MTV video of A-ha's "Take On Me" --- was A-ha thinking of the movie Altered States when making this video?! Apparently so! LOL 6/10

Those who have had the Psychedelic Experience know that it is an Impossibility to Verbalize and almost as much of an Impossibility to Create a Visualization. This is the Inherent Ineptitude of all Movies about "The Trip". But Director Ken Russell was never one to shy away from the Impossible. He Revels in Prickly Scenarios and Blasphemy (especially Religious). But any Blasphemy will do because it is Provocative.In this Film the concept of finding "The Truth" through the use of Sensory Deprivation Tanks and a Dose of Magic Mushrooms is nothing really more Deep for Russell or the Audience then some sort of Entertaining Experimentation. Audiences hardly ever have a Good Time at a Ken Russell Film, but here there is more to have Fun with than most.There is an Extraordinary amount of Crackling Imagery and Scintillating Sound all Wrapped around an Academic Rap. None of it means much and is there as sort of Guide Rails to hold on too while the Movie takes its Roller Coaster Ride into the Subconscious by way of Genetic Imprints, and then Deconstructs the Primal Scream of the Birth of Man.This is only Deep if you let it and most likely that was not the intent of the Director. More so the Author, Paddy Chayefsky who ran Fast and Far from this Filmed Version of His Novel. As Entertainment it is Atypical, Bizarre, Colorful, Vibrant Fun.