The Pond (2021) User Reviews

at least it looks good

[WankerReviews · 3/10 · 23 February 2021]

A man starts hallucinating sinister images involving his family and the locals.

I didn't like this movie. The acting is really bad but the visuals are good. It's a very aesthetically pleasing film. Although it does do things that so many other movies have done like the creepy animal masks, that trope has been done to death lately, I just saw this in another movie that came out this year. The story is mildly interesting, but by the end i didn't really care. Again the imagery is really nice. I don't want to say it's all style but no substance, I think that harsh, I just didn't like the story or how it was executed and the subpar acting didn't help either.

Sorry, it's a nothing film

[terrencepatrix · 3/10 · 24 February 2021]

It's very possible that I missed certain nuance throughout this film that further expanded the actual story...but it just was not good and did not make sense. It is shot well, but the acting is subpar, the characters are not properly explained, the dialogue is clunky, and it uses an audio overlay instead of live audio...so you see their lips moving but it's clear you're hearing something different.

The plot is some guy testing a water source and interacting with hallucinations that aren't hallucinations? It's not explained. It's just people walking around with paper bags on their heads and the main character losing his mind but nothing is explained at all. They attempt an explanation between the main character and his University lead and it is just word salad with a doom dressing.

It's just not a good story line ultimately, and that's it's entire issue. It had the budget and film crew to do something really creative, the story could have been really interesting, but the director chose to be vague when it came to the plot so you simply don't care what happens by the end because you're so bored or confused.

Thinks too highly of itself.

[Patient444 · 4/10 · 24 February 2021]

There were two moments in this movie that I simply adored and I did everything possible in order to hang onto them in order to make this movie better than it actually is. But in the end, it comes off as pretentious and not as elegant as it might hope to be.

Sure, some scenes manage to pull you out of the boredom, even get you invested in the movie, but it is not something that one would easily appreciate, just look at the comments, the reviews online, people called it too much style over substance because it is, tried to be too smart for its own good and managed to get itself stuck in a bad place. Also, this is a psychological movie, not a horror, it doesn't explore the murder section at all, but believe me, it is a good thing, a better thing, yet it still doesn't manage to bring any kind of satisfaction. If you were to compare it to a sugar rush, just imagine having no sugar, nor rush. Just a viewer, hoping for some crumbs to be thrown to him, but never getting any.

Cheers!

Need to watch it once more.

[ml-32271 · 23 February 2021]

Definitely not a movie for everybody, really makes you think afterwards. I saw the trailer and recognized symbols that intrigued me right away since I'm interested into occult-like movies. Now that I've watched it, I somewhat grasped the idea, but I'll have to watch it again in order to fully understand the ending. Liked the portrayal of the seven princes of Hell. Some of the acting was a bit over the top, though.

Utter nonsense

[rocklegend-70446 · 1/10 · 10 March 2021]

I have watched this film 3 times to try and work out a cryptic storyline that I don't understand, and if it is there then I just don't get it. It's utter nonsense, the dilemma I have is that lots of the film has some brilliant dark , cold and eerie elements that make me want to like it. The hay bales, the masked kids, the topless man with a pile of branches for a head just to name a few. But unfortunately this doesn't take away from the fact that it is just 90 minutes of waiting for something that doesn't happen.

Decently shot nonsense in broken English

[henrikrosen · 3/10 · 26 February 2021]

This atmospheric horror has some decent camera work but absolutely terrible writing and acting. The dialogue should never have been translated into English, given that they end up with broken nonsense ("How are you doing? I wanted to check out on you."). The mangled script is poorly delivered, and even when it's possible to guess what they mean, the underlying plot is nonsense. The only thing it has going for it is professional photography and ok sound design.

Ugh!

[rockofcarol · 1/10 · 4 August 2021]

I don't know what to say except what the heck did I just watch. Made absolutely no sense, bad acting, where was the horror. Just plain stupid.

Nice visuals and style + complete mess of a story overloaded with symbolism

[kuarinofu · 3/10 · 26 April 2021]

The film can be vague, but it should be understandable by your audience. Also, you need to give enough interesting character dialogue and show progression not to lose your viewer. Following general horror cliches with creepy kids, occult imagery, scary faces, and frightening toilet doors are not enough.

The Pond contains a very hazy and muffled general idea about hell, God, religion, and humanity. This is not, however, well communicated in the film besides some random disconnected pseudophilosophical dialogue delivered through acting so stiff its density cannot be penetrated by any known material in the world.

So, if you are not willing to bleed your brain you will most likely just feel extremely bored and confused throughout the film. Most viewers will catch the obvious symbolism (and homages to the classic films and literature) like the seven deadly sins projected through the characters, seven days of creation, and the circles, oh man, the circles. But these details serve no real purpose but to make the last 5 minutes of the film almost understandable.

Confused viewers might think this movie is too deep and smart for them just because it makes no sense - but it's not.

They should've just stuck to something understandable and time-tested. Want to show a visual representation of hell - borrow more from Jacob's Ladder, 1408, whatever. Want to tell a creepy occult story with interesting ideas buffed with existential crisis? Copy True Detective Season 1. Oh, wait, they have already done that. Want to explore religion? Make a dialogue-based film like The Man From Earth in the cool location you have, why not.

Just not everything at once.

I can't recommend this. 3/10, 1 star for the looks and visuals, 1 for the soundtrack (which felt confused about what it was trying to follow), 1 for Paul Leonard Murray's acting.

Ugh! ... and then... nothing!

[icelandknight · 1/10 · 23 February 2021]

With the dreary atmosphere I was HOPING the movie was building up for a BIG shock, that would screw viewers up, for the rest of their lives... Like the original "Woman in Black", which had the same slow weird atmospheric stuff. Nope. The toilet door being stuck, I HONESTLY thought "Twighead" was FORMING out of the pond water in the toilet, and would then GRAB the guy, or daughter, or something! ANYTHING! Nope. I totally agree with the other reviewer, I SHOULD have fast forwarded through it, instead of hoping there was a big creepy life changing SCARE coming. At least SHOW the splatter of the guy who jumped. Change the face of the chess opponent creepy writhing "Devils Advocate" style. It was all... So, mismanaged. Mishandled with wasted opportunities left and wrong. I hope someone takes this movie, and edits it, properly, with subtle creepy CGI. That would make ALL the difference. There were NO staring fire eyes, no "torture", no spooky music swells, no nothing. Just a guy doing silly research, and the movie director TRYING to make something out of that, but failing miserably. Small pointless circles, in a pond?!? The people who were really in "hell"... where the poor idiots (me included) who WATCHED this film to the end... hoping to be scared and scarred for life by an extremely scary END scene. Something! Anything! Nope. What a waste. Sadly. Someone please take this and make it spooky. It has elements that could be made spooky. Girl walking in a leafless tree avenue. She mentioned a nightmare creature, but that is never really shared with the viewer... and its NOT "what you don't see is even more powerful". At least you have to hear it, then, or something. A puppet? The dream acted by puppets? Threatening creepy animation? Anything. We got nothing.

Confusing does not mean insubstantial.

[thegrimmshaw · 6/10 · 25 February 2021]

Some stiff acting, that to me felt intentional. Great visuals and camera work. In my opinion, this story is a great concept that went beyond my expectations of "hallucinations" that are often done in these types of movies. Not a movie for the casual viewer, certainly worth the watch if you like strange films and the occult.

The (Bottomless) Pond

[crnwellpter · 1/10 · 5 March 2021]

The only reason you'll watch this movie to the end is to check out how low it will sink. Acting is like in high-school play rehearsal (children's acting is particularly bad). The philosophy of the movie is Beavis and Butthead's conversation deep. I assume that the writer attended some quick online Philosophy courses on YouTube. It's such a movie that makes you wish there is a "movie court" that can forbid future endeavors in the movie business to people involved in this kind of trash.

Brilliant, hypnotic combination of folk horror and cosmic horror told from a Serbian perspective, but it's not for everyone

[Zed-Runner · 10/10 · 3 March 2021]

I decided to write this to explain what what went on in the film. There will be spoilers. In the film, our main character, the professor, is researching... something. The hypothesis behind this research was so bizarre that the university he worked for forced him into sabbatical to cope with the mental illness that produced his ideas. We learn early on that instead of resting the professor travels daily to an island in the middle of a nearby pond to continue his work in isolation, much to the chagrin of his concerned colleague whom he still communicates with via video calls. The island is inhabited by several odd characters: the boatman who is always falling asleep, the chess player who is constantly eating cookies, the maintenance man who exists in a constant state of near rage, and two very bratty children who appear to be sisters. The only other characters in the film are the professor's colleague, his girlfriend and his daughter. After a rather intense conversation with his colleague we learn the professor began his work after the death of his wife. The closer he gets to proving his hypothesis he becomes increasingly paranoid, reality distorts, people around him start to behave oddly and things generally get (more) weird and surreal (Spoilers from here on out) as character motivations begin to either change or become clear. His girlfriend, who is a former student, is revealed to be working with the professor's colleague in an attempt to either prevent or steal the professor's research. At the close of the 2nd act we learn that the professor's hypothesis is that the world is actually Hell, and he has proven it with his research. His ultimate goal is humanity's escape from Hell which, upon changing our ways after learning we are indeed in Hell, can actually be accomplished. He explains this in a conversation with his colleague and sends his research to him via video call. The colleague receives the data only to launch into a monologue about how this should have been his discovery. He then reveals that he knows the professor is right because of a dream he had and, in one of the film's most chilling scenes, recites a song he heard in the dream while he calmly puts on his coat and hat, opens a window, and jumps to his death while the professor looks on in helpless horror. Once he composes himself, the professor has a revelation. His girlfriend, his colleague, and the inhabitants of the island are the seven princes of hell, all represented by the animal that coincides with the sins they lord over, and all are trying to prevent his discovery. His girlfriend is represented by the goat = lust. His colleague is represented by the snake = envy. One of the little girls is represented by the peacock = pride. The other by the frog = greed. The chess player, the boar = gluttony. The boatman, the turtle = sloth. And the maintenance man, the cat = wrath. Finally, the man wearing a mask of branches is the King of Hell. The professor now knows his daughter is in mortal danger, so he gives her his research, puts her in the boat and sends her away, while the princes of hell wait for him on shore. As she drifts off the King of Hell rises from the underworld while the professor appears imprisoned in what looks to be an insane asylum having a conversation with the chess player. The chess player explains that the King of Hell has chosen the professor's daughter as his next human host, which was the goal all along. As he does the film cuts to the King of Hell approaching the professor's daughter, who tosses the research aside, puts on a mask, and walks away with the King. The chess player tells the professor "You lost this one friend. Checkmate. Or should I say: 'the king is dead. Long live the king'." The last thing we see is the professor's daughter sitting on a pile of thatch like a throne. The world will stay in Hell. The singing of the song is heard as the credits roll: Do not wake him up he is dreaming. If he opens his eyes he will not see us anymore. If he wakes up we will cease to exist. If we stop praying to him he will have nightmares. If it may be so our world will stay in Hell. So keep quiet, he is asleep. Lets sing in silence while he dreams. He dreams of the world while the world dreams of him. In the silence of a noise, in the darkness of the light. Eternal in the end.

A good watch if you're in a dark, patient mindset.

[etim-679-857931 · 7/10 · 23 February 2021]

A nice spooky, atmospheric film, slow but keeps your interest. Suspenseful. Where's the monster? Ooooooo...it's gonna get ya! Some of the acting was a bit rough, most noticeably from the kids, but still not awful.

My main concern was that I was burning 1:34 on another one of those artsy, symbolic stories without a decent resolution but the ending, while not a complete surprise, was satisfying enough that I can recommend seeing it.

Overall, a freaky, effective flick that made fine use of a tiny budget.

Look ma, I'm an author too ...

[vodozemac · 1/10 · 6 November 2021]

This should not exist.

Someone's wet dream of authorship, paid for with the money of some poor producer. Which is surely kept in the dark until the very end.

Pathetic.

Borrrrr-ringggg!

[rsvp321 · 24 February 2021]

I have been enjoying a lot of indie flicks lately, but this was infuriating vapid from every perspective.

The experience of watching this was like continuing to read a book you are not enjoying.

Lots of visuals no plot

[jasweb8 · 3/10 · 12 July 2021]

My theory: Somebody had a bunch of ideas for horror movie visuals and tried to string them all together without really coming up with a story. It's too bad, the trailer looked pretty amazing.

Waste of time

[trevorayce · 1/10 · 27 February 2021]

The dialogue was really bad, and the story was so vague that nothing mad since or even tied together in the end just. Should not be rated horror.

Seriously?

[edblogr · 1/10 · 2 March 2021]

One big fat nothing dressed in kindergarten level symbolism.

I mean, really?

The Pooooop

[108YearsOld · 3/10 · 19 March 2021]

One star for the cinematography, another star for the overall production, the last but not least for the nice looking wife.

It's not what it wants to become!

[thehumanx · 3/10 · 27 February 2021]

The trailer looks good, It's promising actually until you're 30 minutes into the movie and realize that the movie is not what you've hoped it would be. I liked the visual style though, and also the background score was keeping me constantly playing with my patience. The movie ends up being a typical psychological thriller but still fails to impress in the things it wanted to show off.

Oddly disturbing

[therealfelixj · 7/10 · 24 February 2021]

This film left a really strange impression on me. At one point I even stopped following the plot and just immersed myself in the atmosphere and visuals. Sort of like listening to a symphony. Gives of a similar feel to Tarkovsky's The Sacrifice. Didn't really understand the idea of it but the eerie feeling stuck with me even after the movie ended.

Slow and ponderous - Lightweight Tarkovsky-inspired

[PutneyTrope · 4/10 · 24 March 2022]

Imperfect, but not as bad as most reviews might lead you to believe.

Nicely filmed. Packed with symbolism and ideas (not all fully formed). Slow and ponderous and definitely tests your attention span at times.

Takes the occasional unexpected turn. It was another case of WTF adding up enough to compel me to finish the film to see how it was wrapped up.

It's not a Tarkovsky film (not even close)...but you can see the inspiration.

Deep Movie

[porterassist · 8/10 · 26 February 2021]

Fair warning. This is one of those movies most of you will finish and be like, "WTF just happened?" I love those movies. I like to be still thinking about the plot a week later, doing research on the imagery. Discussing with others who have seen the movie. If you're looking for a big twist or want to be super scared, you'll be disappointed.

A very, VERY slow-burn, low-key, EXTREMELY odd, but ultimately very effective Folk Horror film...

[lathe-of-heaven · 7/10 · 20 December 2022]

WOW... Where do I start? Dang, I think this is THE Folk Horror film to end all Folk Horror films! :D

First off, notice with the reviews here, that they are EXTREMELY polarized. Some rate the film very high, some give it '1's & '3's. That should tell you something. Although that may seem confusing and unhelpful, what I take from that is NOT that this is either a great movie or a terrible one, but, that it is clearly a film that some will love and some will hate, simple as that. You absolutely HAVE to like these kinds of films already, or I promise you, you will just think it is very slow and boring and pointless.

So, to do my best hopefully to help clarify things let me just say that first and foremost it is a FOLK HORROR film. I mean, we're talk'n Super-Duper Folk Horror here. So, if you are the kind of person who simply does not like the vaguary and symbolism of a Folk Horror film, then yes indeed, you will find it slow and boring and you will feel that it has no point or explanation. So, if you don't care for those kinds of movies, do yourself a big favour and skip this one.

However... If you DO happen to like Folk Horror films, and you don't mind everything being very, I mean, ***VERY*** mysterious and not knowing WTF is going on, then there is a good chance you will enjoy this movie.

Imagine David Lynch dropping some acid, but at the same time taking a few Valium... That about says it. Extremely symbolic, extremely vague with many, many WTF moments. BUT... if like me you really enjoy a well crafted, moody, dark atmosphere, like an extremely Dark Fairytale, then you might just be able to sit back and let this thing wash over you.

Basically, this is ALL about mood, atmosphere, and just 'Experiencing' it. Not quite like a far-out 'Art' film, I did not find it that pretentious. But, like a lot of David Lynch's stuff, you just need to let it engulf you and carry you along.

Unlike some here, I found the acting to be quite good. Remember, the context of this movie is very Fairytale like, so I felt the performances fit the characters in this environment very well. The ONLY thing that detracts from it, and this is more of a personal, almost 'phobia' with me, is I couldn't frigg'n STAND the chess guy stuffing his face constantly while talking with the main character. I don't know WHO the hell thought that was a clever addition to the movie, but for me personally it really drove me up the wall and it was all I could do to put up with it. But again, that is probably just me and my personal neuroses : ) If it weren't for that specifically, I probably would have given this movie an '8' instead of a strong '7'

I will say that at the very end, it SORT OF explains what has been going on. Not in detail of course, but just the overall purpose. It still leaves the details and the main character's place in this story very vague and fuzzy, so please keep that in mind if you really like everything clearly explained by the end.

So, as long as you go into this film clearly knowing what to expect and if you are in for a completely WTF Surreal adventure down the Dark Rabbit Hole, AND very importantly, if you do indeed like Folk Horror films, then I think there is a good chance that you will find this one quite interesting...

It certainly was unique...

[paul_haakonsen · 5/10 · 10 April 2021]

Well first of all, I must say that you have to be in a particular state of mind when you sit down to watch the 2021 movie "The Pond" from writer Dusan Bulic and director Petar Pasic.

Why? Well, because "The Pond" is not your average mystery horror movie. Nay, "The Pond" transcends the bonds of what is considered average entertainment, and it brings something cosmic and something that borders on madness to the game. For better or worse. Now, some may enjoy this, like I did, while others will take aversion to this particular movie.

The storyline is nicely constructed, though it can hardly be said that it is a fast paced movie or a particularly eventful movie. So if you are looking for such things, then you will be bored mindless with "The Pond", I guarantee it. "The Pond" is a very slow paced movie and little happens, but the story is nicely written by Dusan Bulic and gradually piles on more and more strange events, slight madness and just general bizarre weirdness.

The acting in the movie was good. And I wasn't familiar with a single actor or actress in the movie, not that the movie was abundant with performers, mind you. But I enjoy watching movies with new and unfamiliar faces, as I am not associating them with previously portrayed characters in other movies.

While the storyline is slow and rather uneventful, the movie is just permeated so well by a very malignant atmosphere, one that slowly sinks in and festers. And the music score for the movie really helps to paint a bleak picture and helps the descend into madness greatly along. And there is a sense of isolation and helplessness to the movie, that definitely also worked well in favor of the overall feel of the movie.

"The Pond" is a movie of a very acquired taste, and I doubt that it is a movie that will do overly well with the average viewer.

Despite having lots of things working for it, I have to admit that the movie just lacked that particular ingredient to make it pop and stand out. Ultimately, "The Pond" is a mundane movie that attempts to achieve much more than director Petar Pasic could deliver. It was a shame really, because this movie could have been magnificent.

My rating of "The Pond" settles on a mediocre five out of ten stars. I liked the movie, but it just didn't stand out. And while the movie is atmospheric and have some interesting aspects to it, it just didn't bring enough contents to the table. And this is, without a doubt, not a movie that you will watch more than once - provided you manage to endure through the slow paced storyline the first time.