Wow... this was definitely very different. I personally found the concept EXTREMELY intriguing and quite clever. As noted by some in the reviews here, many can easily be left feeling a strong sense of vagueness and confusion about whatever is truly happening. If that kind of thing really drives you up a wall, then this movie is definitely not for you.
I was surprised to learn that they used a Red One digital camera. Normally that camera captures an extremely sharp, detailed image, but not here... I'm sure that there must have been some deliberate manipulation involved to make it look more 'Realistic'
I REALLY liked the movie very much. That I can say with complete certainty. However, I'm finding it quite difficult to write a review for it in such a way that I HOPE actually HELPS others get a sense of what kind of film it is and hopefully help them determine whether they want to spend their time watching it. This is a tough one. I WILL say that there is a DEFINITE Indie feel to the film. You probably would really have to like Indie films in general to enjoy this one. Now, to try to make that more clear... Overall, the movie has a sense of something odd happening. The SEEMING premise of one friend helping another friend to get off of drugs is really only a backdrop or a setting for the different strange phenomena that is going on around them. The good news is that while all this weird, inexplicable stuff is happening, there are a number of truly excellent dialog exchanges that I found quite amusing and interesting. To me, the film makers CLEARLY have a strong grasp on writing a film and the dialog. I guess other than the odd stuff going on around them, I would have to say that the dialog and interaction between the two main characters is probably the strongest part of the film. BUT... with that said, still... I REALLY dug the creepy vibe and TOTALLY unexplainable things that were happening to them. There was nothing really horrific or overt, but what I liked myself was how they interjected these tiny, little teases at the audience to give them vague, and I mean VAGUE ideas as to the possibilities of what was going on. I REALLY liked the French guy in the trailer; I was ABSOLUTELY fascinated with his performance and manner. I don't want to say too much, but I did find the little, teasing tidbits and ESPECIALLY the mention of a particular famous and significant name in a 'research' journal that they found (in French at that, but you STILL recognize the name) along with other odd possible angles presented throughout the story, truly fascinating...
I just found the whole bloody thing INTRIGUING. I absolutely LOVE when clever thought and imagination goes into stories like this, particularly in 'Horror' films. And I REALLY like movies the either bend 'Reality' or your mind, whichever happens to be the case. I freak'n LOVE ones like that! ('SESSION 9' anyone...?)
So, for me personally, this was completely and totally my kind of film. BUT... I can fully understand how many here just found it boring, bland, vague, inexplicable, and stated that 'Nothing really happens' But in this movie, the 'vague' & 'inexplicable' part is kind of the point...
This is a ***VERY*** difficult film to review (not meaning to give myself an excuse if my review happens to suck :) but, I really think that in order to be able to enjoy this movie, you HAVE to be the kind of person who, number one, REALLY is grabbed by a Mystery, no matter how vague or unexplained it is, AND... I think you have to be the kind of person who can appreciate a 'Horror' film where really not much Horror actually happens, but where a decidedly Creepy and Unsettling WTF mood is definitely the main part of the story.
I was surprised to learn that they used a Red One digital camera. Normally that camera captures an extremely sharp, detailed image, but not here... I'm sure that there must have been some deliberate manipulation involved to make it look more 'Realistic'
I REALLY liked the movie very much. That I can say with complete certainty. However, I'm finding it quite difficult to write a review for it in such a way that I HOPE actually HELPS others get a sense of what kind of film it is and hopefully help them determine whether they want to spend their time watching it. This is a tough one. I WILL say that there is a DEFINITE Indie feel to the film. You probably would really have to like Indie films in general to enjoy this one. Now, to try to make that more clear... Overall, the movie has a sense of something odd happening. The SEEMING premise of one friend helping another friend to get off of drugs is really only a backdrop or a setting for the different strange phenomena that is going on around them. The good news is that while all this weird, inexplicable stuff is happening, there are a number of truly excellent dialog exchanges that I found quite amusing and interesting. To me, the film makers CLEARLY have a strong grasp on writing a film and the dialog. I guess other than the odd stuff going on around them, I would have to say that the dialog and interaction between the two main characters is probably the strongest part of the film. BUT... with that said, still... I REALLY dug the creepy vibe and TOTALLY unexplainable things that were happening to them. There was nothing really horrific or overt, but what I liked myself was how they interjected these tiny, little teases at the audience to give them vague, and I mean VAGUE ideas as to the possibilities of what was going on. I REALLY liked the French guy in the trailer; I was ABSOLUTELY fascinated with his performance and manner. I don't want to say too much, but I did find the little, teasing tidbits and ESPECIALLY the mention of a particular famous and significant name in a 'research' journal that they found (in French at that, but you STILL recognize the name) along with other odd possible angles presented throughout the story, truly fascinating...
I just found the whole bloody thing INTRIGUING. I absolutely LOVE when clever thought and imagination goes into stories like this, particularly in 'Horror' films. And I REALLY like movies the either bend 'Reality' or your mind, whichever happens to be the case. I freak'n LOVE ones like that! ('SESSION 9' anyone...?)
So, for me personally, this was completely and totally my kind of film. BUT... I can fully understand how many here just found it boring, bland, vague, inexplicable, and stated that 'Nothing really happens' But in this movie, the 'vague' & 'inexplicable' part is kind of the point...
This is a ***VERY*** difficult film to review (not meaning to give myself an excuse if my review happens to suck :) but, I really think that in order to be able to enjoy this movie, you HAVE to be the kind of person who, number one, REALLY is grabbed by a Mystery, no matter how vague or unexplained it is, AND... I think you have to be the kind of person who can appreciate a 'Horror' film where really not much Horror actually happens, but where a decidedly Creepy and Unsettling WTF mood is definitely the main part of the story.