After watching Alena I couldn't help having the feeling that I watched that kinda movie a dozen of times before. If it was exceptional then it wouldn't matter but unfortunately it isn't. It's been done before and way better. The story starts interesting but the more the story advances the more boring it gets. Watching high school bully girls for the entire movie is just boring after awhile. And the poor little girl they pick on and that is supposed to unleash her evil power is just not creepy enough to make it an interesting horror movie. Actually I don't think it has anything to do with a horror movie. Just one of those movies you watch with one eye open. Amalia Holm should taint her eyebrows dark as well if she wants to be darkhaired. That's just an information to her, as a bonus.
13 Reviews
Dark secrets of a boarding school outcast - Fine enough
joebloggscity30 March 2018
Caught this film on TV recently, and to my surprise it was quite a fine film. It didn't match the demographics for what it was catching, but I think most will find this intriguing.
The main lead, Alena, is a brooding new student at a boarding school she clearly doesn't fit into. So surprise surprise, she is targeted by the school sport's team bullies, one who makes her life hell. The catch? Alena has a very dark secret from her past and it will obviously catch up with everyone who interferes.
We have here a mostly derivative storyline, which has been well trod beforehand, being a combination of Mean Girls, Carrie, Heathers and Death Note (Japanese manga).
However, it's more than the story. Our leads are excellent in this brooding tale and the camera work is excellent providing quite a dark frightening outlook on the first viewing.
I liked it. It was predictable, but that shouldn't take away from anything. For teenagers, they'll enjoy this slice of darkness. The rest should respect it at least.
The main lead, Alena, is a brooding new student at a boarding school she clearly doesn't fit into. So surprise surprise, she is targeted by the school sport's team bullies, one who makes her life hell. The catch? Alena has a very dark secret from her past and it will obviously catch up with everyone who interferes.
We have here a mostly derivative storyline, which has been well trod beforehand, being a combination of Mean Girls, Carrie, Heathers and Death Note (Japanese manga).
However, it's more than the story. Our leads are excellent in this brooding tale and the camera work is excellent providing quite a dark frightening outlook on the first viewing.
I liked it. It was predictable, but that shouldn't take away from anything. For teenagers, they'll enjoy this slice of darkness. The rest should respect it at least.
Incomplete movie
paulinaskmx30 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I suppose the novel doesn't leave as many loose ends as this film. Or it felt that way to me, the characters' individual stories are not developed, you can't really understand why they are that way...so some details come across as unnecessary since they end up not adding anything to the story.
Didn't want to mention spoilers but the first time Josefin appears, it's very obvious she's dead. And didn't get the last scene, where Alena flees the party: her girlfriend goes after her one second later but for some reason Alena manages to fight and kill two people before she's reached... Entertaining, maybe, but very forgettable, I'd say.
Just Do it
nogodnomasters5 July 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Alena (Amalia Holm) is a quiet girl who goes from a public school to a posh private Oak Hill school. She has trouble with the "mean girls" lead by Filippa (Molly Nutley) the top Lacrosse player, a sport that Alena plays well. Alena is bullied, but has a friend from the old Contrail High School who protects her and enacts revenge. At about 35 minutes into the film we get some interesting details.
This is a Swedish "Mean Girls" with a horror twist. The film was enough to keep me engaged. It was in Swedish with English subtitles. The DVD has no menu. It starts as soon as I placed it in the DVD player. No changing the sound, language, or even chapter/scene selection.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity. Based on a graphic novel by the same name.
This is a Swedish "Mean Girls" with a horror twist. The film was enough to keep me engaged. It was in Swedish with English subtitles. The DVD has no menu. It starts as soon as I placed it in the DVD player. No changing the sound, language, or even chapter/scene selection.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity. Based on a graphic novel by the same name.
Not much to mention
grejhojta17 December 2018
After the first four minutes I realized that I have never seen actors care less about their roles. I had high hopes, since I loved the novel, but I really can't take the acting serious. It feels like I'm watching a high school-project.
A troubled tale
nancyldraper16 October 2021
Well, this is a troubled tale. It is based on a graphic novel, of the same name, by Kim W Andersson. The draw for me was Amalia Holm and, as expected, she brings a layered performance with both vulnerability and peril. All the performances are quite good. There is violence in this storytelling and mental distress but I'm going to take a risk and not call it horror. It seems to me the trauma is the product of untenable circumstances in a young woman's life exasperated by bullying. I give this film a 7 (good) out of 10. {Drama} Swedish with subtitles.
No just no
pattorrus2 May 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I am a huge horror/thriller fanatic but this was by far one the worst film I witnessed . the main character starts out okay but later on she I just so annoying that I wish they executed her sooner. This film was a complete abomination mess that whoever created should go back to preschool to learn how to make a great film
Poor adaptation
wwrine17 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The visual novel is so, so much better. They changed too many things. For one, they replaced two male characters with female ones: the one in the shower scene, and her new love interest. A big point in the original novel was that Alena was a coward who could not admit to being in love with a woman, which led to the death of said woman. The visions she has of Josephine is caused by her immense guilt of that. The new love interest is supposed to be a guy because she tries to fall in love with him, and it shows that she is still not able to admit to herself that she is gay. The story ends with her trying to kill Josephine, only ending up killing herself instead. Her cowardice and guilt is what leads to her downfall.
A well-worn story told very well
Obi-Wan-2215 April 2016
This movie proves that Hollywood is getting worse and worse at making horror movies. There is nothing unique or special about "Alena"'s story yet the movie is engaging, unsettling and genuinely unnerving by superior craftsmanship. The story takes place at a Swedish private school filled with positively "mean girls." When a public school student is thrust into the system after having left her school on mysterious grounds the story begins. All of the girls are perfectly cast. How can you not hate them?
When the horror and thrills begin they are uniquely surprising, not resting on the tropes of the well-trodden story. This movie knows what it is and provided a very enjoyable evenings worth of entertainment.
When the horror and thrills begin they are uniquely surprising, not resting on the tropes of the well-trodden story. This movie knows what it is and provided a very enjoyable evenings worth of entertainment.
no just no...
mailymeil30 December 2022
I really enjoy thrillers and horror movies, but this was just not it. I liked the actors (they did really good job) and story was ok, but it was too confusing. Many things just didn't make sense at all, and I felt like everything stayed unexplaned from the start.
They didn't explane any of them characters that well. Every character had some kind of background but even the main characters backstory remain secret. It felt like the director was not completely qualified to execute this movie.
But I had to give 2 stars because cinematography was great, really beautiful way to execute this kind of movie. Nice shots and settings.
They didn't explane any of them characters that well. Every character had some kind of background but even the main characters backstory remain secret. It felt like the director was not completely qualified to execute this movie.
But I had to give 2 stars because cinematography was great, really beautiful way to execute this kind of movie. Nice shots and settings.
Worth a watch! Imperfect, but great for fans of these settings.
carl-769707 March 2024
I'll preface by saying I really like it, and ask you keep that in mind - because I'm now gonna write a decent bit and a good part of it is about why someone could dislike it.
I am a huge sucker for these types of settings. I goddamn love the character of Filippa, and I feel her actor did her justice. Might just be wishful thinking, but parts of her character design felt inspired by Heather Chandler? Some parts of the source material felt like it worked since there was this 'intentionally-almost-a-parody-but-still-somehow-super-engaging' feel to it. For example some of Filippas dialogue.
Now, a lot of that was changed here, which is certainly for the best. It sounded better this way - the original probably fit better being read. The actor's portrayal of Filippa's anger and violent mannerisms felt real. I think that some parts, like her leaving her dad a voice message about doing good in sports at the school, could feel shoe-horned in to some. Not really to me, though. More things were changed in this adaption. Now, on the one hand some of what was changed took up very little "space" story-wise. On the other hand: changes were sorely needed to make it work in a movie. Like there were no boys allowed in the girls locker after P. E. That would've made it way to unreal for live action - great thing to change. The way they adapted one specific plot point that hinged on this was done competently, I should say.
Some scenes (I won't spoil) felt like they were cool and all, but maybe worsened the pacing? Like they were included since they fit in the original, and those who read the source material would miss them if they weren't included: they made up huge parts of the original's specific thematic style and feel. Thinking of when Josefin shows Alena what she thinks Fabienne and Filippa are really like, for example.
Although I feel that some of the pacing felt disjointed-ish, I still felt for all of the main characters at the end, no doubt. And I personally still love the scenes which some could feel messes with the pacing.
I feel that to a lot of people, imperfect pacing or dialogue which at times 'feels adapted' can get sort of paved-over by a language barrier. So if you're not a swedish-speaker then that might be positive.
On the other hand: being Swedish, some small parts hit extra hard. That's because I know many people that share the characters' 'swedish mannerisms' and use the same choice in wording and intonation, in a way that's kinda unique geographically.
The soundtrack felt fitting, but sometimes I felt it maybe would've been better had it been higher tempo. I'm not a sound guy though, so...
Me personally, I would've liked it if there was more lovin' between the good guys (gals), like in the source material. But I still totally feel that the movie was better as a whole regarding changes made to that. I feel there is a bit of a 'distance' to the story and characters when reading comics which wouldn't have been there in movie format, so the dialogue- and story beat changes were necessary.
It is a movie that people who like this type of setting (an elite boarding school), these types of characters (the upper class bully-girls etc.) and these types of 'supernatural elements' will like a lot. Though I imagine some people might feel that it doen't get deep enough to be as impactful as it could've been - and that it lacks some of the flair the source material certainly didn't lack. Again - I won't spoil, but: deciding to end it the way they did took guts. Worth a watch!
I am a huge sucker for these types of settings. I goddamn love the character of Filippa, and I feel her actor did her justice. Might just be wishful thinking, but parts of her character design felt inspired by Heather Chandler? Some parts of the source material felt like it worked since there was this 'intentionally-almost-a-parody-but-still-somehow-super-engaging' feel to it. For example some of Filippas dialogue.
Now, a lot of that was changed here, which is certainly for the best. It sounded better this way - the original probably fit better being read. The actor's portrayal of Filippa's anger and violent mannerisms felt real. I think that some parts, like her leaving her dad a voice message about doing good in sports at the school, could feel shoe-horned in to some. Not really to me, though. More things were changed in this adaption. Now, on the one hand some of what was changed took up very little "space" story-wise. On the other hand: changes were sorely needed to make it work in a movie. Like there were no boys allowed in the girls locker after P. E. That would've made it way to unreal for live action - great thing to change. The way they adapted one specific plot point that hinged on this was done competently, I should say.
Some scenes (I won't spoil) felt like they were cool and all, but maybe worsened the pacing? Like they were included since they fit in the original, and those who read the source material would miss them if they weren't included: they made up huge parts of the original's specific thematic style and feel. Thinking of when Josefin shows Alena what she thinks Fabienne and Filippa are really like, for example.
Although I feel that some of the pacing felt disjointed-ish, I still felt for all of the main characters at the end, no doubt. And I personally still love the scenes which some could feel messes with the pacing.
I feel that to a lot of people, imperfect pacing or dialogue which at times 'feels adapted' can get sort of paved-over by a language barrier. So if you're not a swedish-speaker then that might be positive.
On the other hand: being Swedish, some small parts hit extra hard. That's because I know many people that share the characters' 'swedish mannerisms' and use the same choice in wording and intonation, in a way that's kinda unique geographically.
The soundtrack felt fitting, but sometimes I felt it maybe would've been better had it been higher tempo. I'm not a sound guy though, so...
Me personally, I would've liked it if there was more lovin' between the good guys (gals), like in the source material. But I still totally feel that the movie was better as a whole regarding changes made to that. I feel there is a bit of a 'distance' to the story and characters when reading comics which wouldn't have been there in movie format, so the dialogue- and story beat changes were necessary.
It is a movie that people who like this type of setting (an elite boarding school), these types of characters (the upper class bully-girls etc.) and these types of 'supernatural elements' will like a lot. Though I imagine some people might feel that it doen't get deep enough to be as impactful as it could've been - and that it lacks some of the flair the source material certainly didn't lack. Again - I won't spoil, but: deciding to end it the way they did took guts. Worth a watch!
Unique and beautiful
clarastahl-8804325 November 2022
This is a teen story. It's about queerness, it's about girls, it's about self-hatred. Taking place at a girl school, and following a girl at a new school. It contains insecurity and bullying. I don't wanna do any spoilers, but it's not what you think it is.
This movie is very much about teenage girls. Both their best and worst qualities. It's a movie that will sit with you. Somehow it captures so well what it is to be a teenage girl.
This needs to reach is audience. I think any queer person will enjoy this story. It's isn't very horror like, I think maybe if you don't like horror you can enjoy this if you enjoyed teenage stories and queer stories. It's happy and sad at the same time, and it feels very real somehow.
This movie is very much about teenage girls. Both their best and worst qualities. It's a movie that will sit with you. Somehow it captures so well what it is to be a teenage girl.
This needs to reach is audience. I think any queer person will enjoy this story. It's isn't very horror like, I think maybe if you don't like horror you can enjoy this if you enjoyed teenage stories and queer stories. It's happy and sad at the same time, and it feels very real somehow.
Great film Amalia holm was a force as always
angelapscanlon20 July 2022
I watched this film because Amalia holm was in it and I know what a great actress she is and was not let down this film was great and quiet scary and weird in places I would suggest that people check this film out it's worth the watch.
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