krice23 Review of Die Ontwaking

Die Ontwaking (2015)

Underwhelming, to say the least (pun intended)

[4/10 · 15 February 2020]

An amalgam of classics precede this lackluster effort into the murder mystery/horror film genre. A previous review by pairic correctly identified selective plot points as having their origins in some of the best works known; Silence of the Lambs, Red Dragon, & Psycho; the author apparently having no ethical recoil at the stark plagiarisms found within their script. I would add to that resume shades of the Son of Sam killer who also heard a dog barking constantly, ever present here in the Lutz scenes, this one named Devil, while the SOS's dog was named Satan. Hmmm. We can also draw comparisons with the Zodiac killer, not only through the astrological references, which never seemed to amount to anything or lead anywhere having to do with plot, and whose killer also liked to communicate through a journalist; here with some disaster. Apparently not, however, with any sense of concern or urgency for the lead detective who, upon learning he is to meet with the Night Stalker, allows him to go alone, without any stakeout or protection from the police. What rookie would do that, I wonder. No detective rising to the eminent level of homicide detective, I can assure you. I was struck by how many differing leads were offered, all leading nowhere. It's as if this movie plot just solved itself and designed to offer any explanations, preferring to be known for the all-too common "artsy" finale of the villain driving off into the distance while the audience is left to try and tie up this messy package and find some semblance of meaning for ourselves (lazy filmmaking) if only to put it behind you and close the door on it for good. Overall, I was less than impressed. Underwhelming, to say the least (yes, pun intended). Oh and yes, one more thing of note. I did read in another review, and I agree, that there was a shocking lack of people of color included for a film produced on location in South Africa, of all places. That reviewer identified one person of color in a supporting role. I didn't even notice him! In fact, this oversight had become so obvious to me that I was waiting to see how long it would take for me to even see a pedestrian on the street, a taxi driver, an office worker, Anyone, who could redeem it's seemingly zero inclusion policy, for how else could you manage it, statistically, I mean? I thought apartheid was over!? It's worth noting, I believe, that white privilege can extend itself so deeply into a society's psyche that people don't even see it when it's hitting them in the face with a sledgehammer. Take some advice from me, pass this movie by if you don't want to feel like bashing your own face in with a hammer for wasted time spent when it's finished.