I'm a long-term user of IMDb but have never felt moved to post a review...until, that is, "The Deaths of Ian Stone". I (like many, judging from a trawl of the reviews on here), had some high hopes for this film on the back of a rather intriguing blurb and a personal soft spot for (even mediocre) psychological thrillers.
After 10 minutes or so I thought the film still had potential. Maybe it would lift and a compelling tale would unravel. At the 20 minute mark I thought an extra glass of Shiraz might boost things - loosen my over-critical eye and help me acclimatise to an increasingly faltering plot and embarrassingly overwrought acting. Maybe...um....HEY, MAYBE there'd be a TWIST! YES, a quality twist is all it needs! At about the hour mark I expressed this hope fervently to my fellow movie watcher, who sullenly informed me that the revelation that Ian Stone was actually once one of the 'Dr. Who-esquire' creatures probably constituted the 'twist'. The final half-hour I spent contemplating how B-grade production values had improved slightly in the last couple of decades (while their acting had not, thereby wresting them of all endearment) and polishing off the Shiraz in the hope that, like Ian, my memory would be erased, at least temporarily.
Personally I think 'The Matrix' (whose prototype wardrobe was quite obviously commandeered by the 'Stone' team) was a film that started brilliantly and ended up in near trainwreck territory (although trainwrecks are rarely so banal). Unfortunately 'Stone' takes the same trajectory, but starts at the station that Matrix hopped off. On the plus side, the movie is so bad it's bound to be talked about around the office water cooler.
After 10 minutes or so I thought the film still had potential. Maybe it would lift and a compelling tale would unravel. At the 20 minute mark I thought an extra glass of Shiraz might boost things - loosen my over-critical eye and help me acclimatise to an increasingly faltering plot and embarrassingly overwrought acting. Maybe...um....HEY, MAYBE there'd be a TWIST! YES, a quality twist is all it needs! At about the hour mark I expressed this hope fervently to my fellow movie watcher, who sullenly informed me that the revelation that Ian Stone was actually once one of the 'Dr. Who-esquire' creatures probably constituted the 'twist'. The final half-hour I spent contemplating how B-grade production values had improved slightly in the last couple of decades (while their acting had not, thereby wresting them of all endearment) and polishing off the Shiraz in the hope that, like Ian, my memory would be erased, at least temporarily.
Personally I think 'The Matrix' (whose prototype wardrobe was quite obviously commandeered by the 'Stone' team) was a film that started brilliantly and ended up in near trainwreck territory (although trainwrecks are rarely so banal). Unfortunately 'Stone' takes the same trajectory, but starts at the station that Matrix hopped off. On the plus side, the movie is so bad it's bound to be talked about around the office water cooler.