I was very impressed by this movie after a first viewing. That being said, my background in films is a lot of movies like this. I love things that take place in strange worlds with mysterious and dangerous enemies lurking in the shadows. I love post-apocalyptic and dystopian stories. I also am a huge fan of video games in this genre which I think also paints this movie in a certain light if you watch it with certain survival horror RPGs in mind. The director even admits some of that influencing his work.
I'd have to say, this is not really a movie for the average moviegoer. It is not exactly "entertaining" in a typical sense. It is sort of like experiencing a very odd and perplexing dream. I feel like film enthusiasts or gamers might enjoy this one.
I found this movie to be very original. It has a very non-typical theme it is trying to get across but an even more extreme style. It is crushing in its atmosphere and the ambiance. It is certainly a movie that is heavier on style than substance at times but the substance is still there.
If I had any complaints, it would have to be that we don't learn much about our protagonist. He is presented with an interesting choice at the end, there is an interesting twist about his character, but I feel like we don't get to know him very well throughout the whole movie. Not much of a personality is revealed despite a strong performance from the lead actor.
There are also some silly effects that I'm not sure should have been included in the movie. The movie is very strongly in its shot composition, sets, costumes, and style. The effects felt very out of place. You have to really bite the bullet to enjoy what they are trying to say with those scenes and not focus on what is actually being shown.
If you are a fan of movies like Pandorum, Silent Hill, or maybe I am Legend you can probably enjoy this movie as a lower budget version of those. It even does a few things better than those movies while falling short in other categories. If you are into very atmospheric, slow- moving, violent, and convoluted movies you should give this one a try. But, be warned that it is not a movie for everyone. It is primarily trying to be something very unique. I believe it accomplishes this well, and is frankly a very awesome piece of challenging cinema.
If it did not have some of the visual issues, a very uneven pace, and some scenes that don't move the plot forward or tell us anything about the characters or world, this would be one of the better movies out there. As it is, it is still very cool for fans of this genre.
My subjective breakdown of the movie's major elements: Cinematography 9/10 Editing 7/10 Art Direction 9/10 Sound 9/10 Special Effects 4/10 Acting 8/10 Pacing 7/10 Characters 5/10 Theme 9/10 Music 7/10 Overall 8/10
I'd have to say, this is not really a movie for the average moviegoer. It is not exactly "entertaining" in a typical sense. It is sort of like experiencing a very odd and perplexing dream. I feel like film enthusiasts or gamers might enjoy this one.
I found this movie to be very original. It has a very non-typical theme it is trying to get across but an even more extreme style. It is crushing in its atmosphere and the ambiance. It is certainly a movie that is heavier on style than substance at times but the substance is still there.
If I had any complaints, it would have to be that we don't learn much about our protagonist. He is presented with an interesting choice at the end, there is an interesting twist about his character, but I feel like we don't get to know him very well throughout the whole movie. Not much of a personality is revealed despite a strong performance from the lead actor.
There are also some silly effects that I'm not sure should have been included in the movie. The movie is very strongly in its shot composition, sets, costumes, and style. The effects felt very out of place. You have to really bite the bullet to enjoy what they are trying to say with those scenes and not focus on what is actually being shown.
If you are a fan of movies like Pandorum, Silent Hill, or maybe I am Legend you can probably enjoy this movie as a lower budget version of those. It even does a few things better than those movies while falling short in other categories. If you are into very atmospheric, slow- moving, violent, and convoluted movies you should give this one a try. But, be warned that it is not a movie for everyone. It is primarily trying to be something very unique. I believe it accomplishes this well, and is frankly a very awesome piece of challenging cinema.
If it did not have some of the visual issues, a very uneven pace, and some scenes that don't move the plot forward or tell us anything about the characters or world, this would be one of the better movies out there. As it is, it is still very cool for fans of this genre.
My subjective breakdown of the movie's major elements: Cinematography 9/10 Editing 7/10 Art Direction 9/10 Sound 9/10 Special Effects 4/10 Acting 8/10 Pacing 7/10 Characters 5/10 Theme 9/10 Music 7/10 Overall 8/10