First let me say that I would give the first Lake Placid move a 9 for what it is. I give ratings based on what I believe the intent of the movie is and thus it is easier for me to give a 9 on a movie that is fairly good but not intended to be a block buster, and a lot harder to give a 9 on one that is intended to be a block buster but falls short. I also take into consideration if it is made for TV, and a number of other factors. And as we all know, many movies in the past that are made for the original SCI-FI Channel were very low grade. Of late, I feel that many of the ones being made are a lot better. I was really hoping that this one would be one of them and I will say that a lot of the move was – yet too many parts of the movie were not. And it seems to be carried through in all aspects of the movie. It is almost like there were two different groups working on the movie. The first group, a fairly knowledgeable group, and the second group, not so knowledgably.
The acting had parts that were very reminiscent of the first Lake Placid. And yet other parts were at times, a little out of place, a little too much, and little over the top, a little like beginners practicing for a part and so on.
The special effects. I would give some of them a grade of B plus to A minus. Others would get a C minus to a D.
The script was very good in certain parts, and to be kind, I will say not so good in other parts.
The characters were a mix that seemed to be one way one minute and another way the next. It is hard to describe but it seemed like for many of the main characters, they were in one move acting one way and then in a different movie acting another way. Though not as bad as this, I would compare it to a person being a though guy one minute and a meek guy the next.
This could have been one of SCI-FI Channels top of the list movies but it's not. I did watch it all, but often felt I was on a race car moving fast one minute and slow the next. The scenes jumped around to where you did not get a good feeling of flow or natural movement.
The movie had a great start. Some would not like it but it does grab your attention, and what you first think might be going to happen, doesn't and you get a whole new perspective to things.
I feel the biggest problem the movie had was that many of the characters for the most part seem to develop in the story fairly well, but then are jerked out of the story. I am not sure why the director/writer did this as it distracted me a lot.
There are parts that will seem to not make sense and at the end, you start to have a number of questions come up in your mind that will not be answered. You also feel during the film that you do not know why a character did this or that.
I will say that the scenery was excellent. Not sure where the movie was made but I have no complaints about that.
If I gave details around a lot of items noted above, it would take away too much from one watching the film and it is worth watching once. I have watched the original Lake Placid a number of times and will most likely watch it a number more as it is just that kind of movie. However, this one, I will most likely not watch again.
And I don't want to give away the ending but I will say that most will not like the ending as it is somewhat of a jumble and seems to not fit will with any of the good parts of the movie and even less with the not so good parts.
I give the move a 5 because there are a number of good parts, but it could have been so much more.
The acting had parts that were very reminiscent of the first Lake Placid. And yet other parts were at times, a little out of place, a little too much, and little over the top, a little like beginners practicing for a part and so on.
The special effects. I would give some of them a grade of B plus to A minus. Others would get a C minus to a D.
The script was very good in certain parts, and to be kind, I will say not so good in other parts.
The characters were a mix that seemed to be one way one minute and another way the next. It is hard to describe but it seemed like for many of the main characters, they were in one move acting one way and then in a different movie acting another way. Though not as bad as this, I would compare it to a person being a though guy one minute and a meek guy the next.
This could have been one of SCI-FI Channels top of the list movies but it's not. I did watch it all, but often felt I was on a race car moving fast one minute and slow the next. The scenes jumped around to where you did not get a good feeling of flow or natural movement.
The movie had a great start. Some would not like it but it does grab your attention, and what you first think might be going to happen, doesn't and you get a whole new perspective to things.
I feel the biggest problem the movie had was that many of the characters for the most part seem to develop in the story fairly well, but then are jerked out of the story. I am not sure why the director/writer did this as it distracted me a lot.
There are parts that will seem to not make sense and at the end, you start to have a number of questions come up in your mind that will not be answered. You also feel during the film that you do not know why a character did this or that.
I will say that the scenery was excellent. Not sure where the movie was made but I have no complaints about that.
If I gave details around a lot of items noted above, it would take away too much from one watching the film and it is worth watching once. I have watched the original Lake Placid a number of times and will most likely watch it a number more as it is just that kind of movie. However, this one, I will most likely not watch again.
And I don't want to give away the ending but I will say that most will not like the ending as it is somewhat of a jumble and seems to not fit will with any of the good parts of the movie and even less with the not so good parts.
I give the move a 5 because there are a number of good parts, but it could have been so much more.