Well, first off, I ***STRONGLY*** disagree with MWhittaker's high-minded dismissive view of this film (Sorry Mate... : ) GEEZ, it's like if a film is not WILDLY original in the extreme or with 'Vivacious Ingenuity' (as stated) so many seem to be just OH so bored and jaded that they dismiss it...
Reference was made to 'JACOB'S LADDER'. Okay, so how many people have payed homage to or incorporated such a successfully disorienting mood with such a powerful psychological force even remotely similar to that great film...? Like, NOBODY... Okay, 'SESSION 9', one of my ALL TIME favorites along this line of psychological horror does a GREAT job and probably next to the more abstract nature of 'JACOB'S LADDER' is one of the very best of it's kind. Well, this one was not quite THAT good, but it didn't fall too terribly far short of it.
Being an EXTREMELY devoted fan of David Lynch I would have to say that the director of this film captured at least some of the essence of the abstract and psychologically disorienting feeling of say Lynch's 'MUHOLLAND DRIVE', but without all the delightful and idiosyncratic trappings of course : ) So, let's give the guy credit for creating a VERY visually and mentally unsettling film that does it's job well. Not a masterpiece, true..., but FAR, FAR, friggin' ***FAR*** better than all these 'Cheap British Horror' films that our dear Mr. / Ms. Whittaker is alluding to. And you think '28 DAYS LATER' is Artsy...??? I think that that is a strong indicator of your point of view and taste there; not to be disparaging in any way at all, but I personally found that film, although very good, NOT ***NEARLY*** as 'Artsy' as this film in any way, shape, or form. That was perhaps 'Technique' or 'Style' my British friend, but not really any way near the artistic approach that this director used in this film, in my lowly and wretched opinion.
Now, I have NOT seen 'MY LITTLE EYE', so perhaps in comparison this one may be disappointing, but please let's give credit for what this film is by itself. I ask, how many films can even come CLOSE to pulling off the mood, suspense, etc. that the visuals in this film do? MOST films that even bl00dy TRY usually fall flat on their little cinematic faces. [***EDIT (2014-10-27) I HAVE seen it now, and it is a frigg'n DISTURBING film! One of the first kind of Proto-Torture Porn movies, thus not really my kind of thing]
And, YES, I love AMICUS, HAMMER, GIALLO, and some Grindhouse films too... However, to me this is comparing apples to oranges my friend. Since when have you seen a HAMMER film with this level of psychological complexity...??? I think honestly what it boils down to is a matter of preference; this film simply didn't 'Do It' for you, that's all. Perhaps you tire of all the weird visuals and gimmicks as you see them such as using the video monitors. Okay, fair enough... But, to all you lovers of PSYCHOLOGICAL Horror / Thrillers out there, let me tell you, I have rarely seen a film with such a sense of unease and psychological disorientation as this one for quite a while... Now, as I mentioned before, 'SESSION 9' is one of my utmost, favorite films; but, while watching that one I had more of a sense of 'DAMN! This is friggin' awesome!' whereas with this film I had more of a sense of deeper unease because of the disorienting force of the story making me feel like 'What the HELL is gonna happen next!!???...'
So, in conclusion (if you all haven't already hanged yourselves by now... :) I would say that if you really want a good but somewhat ambiguous psychological thriller that will DEFINITELY keep you on the edge, and if you happen to like films similar to 'JACOB'S LADDER' or 'SESSION 9', then you should enjoy this film...
Reference was made to 'JACOB'S LADDER'. Okay, so how many people have payed homage to or incorporated such a successfully disorienting mood with such a powerful psychological force even remotely similar to that great film...? Like, NOBODY... Okay, 'SESSION 9', one of my ALL TIME favorites along this line of psychological horror does a GREAT job and probably next to the more abstract nature of 'JACOB'S LADDER' is one of the very best of it's kind. Well, this one was not quite THAT good, but it didn't fall too terribly far short of it.
Being an EXTREMELY devoted fan of David Lynch I would have to say that the director of this film captured at least some of the essence of the abstract and psychologically disorienting feeling of say Lynch's 'MUHOLLAND DRIVE', but without all the delightful and idiosyncratic trappings of course : ) So, let's give the guy credit for creating a VERY visually and mentally unsettling film that does it's job well. Not a masterpiece, true..., but FAR, FAR, friggin' ***FAR*** better than all these 'Cheap British Horror' films that our dear Mr. / Ms. Whittaker is alluding to. And you think '28 DAYS LATER' is Artsy...??? I think that that is a strong indicator of your point of view and taste there; not to be disparaging in any way at all, but I personally found that film, although very good, NOT ***NEARLY*** as 'Artsy' as this film in any way, shape, or form. That was perhaps 'Technique' or 'Style' my British friend, but not really any way near the artistic approach that this director used in this film, in my lowly and wretched opinion.
Now, I have NOT seen 'MY LITTLE EYE', so perhaps in comparison this one may be disappointing, but please let's give credit for what this film is by itself. I ask, how many films can even come CLOSE to pulling off the mood, suspense, etc. that the visuals in this film do? MOST films that even bl00dy TRY usually fall flat on their little cinematic faces. [***EDIT (2014-10-27) I HAVE seen it now, and it is a frigg'n DISTURBING film! One of the first kind of Proto-Torture Porn movies, thus not really my kind of thing]
And, YES, I love AMICUS, HAMMER, GIALLO, and some Grindhouse films too... However, to me this is comparing apples to oranges my friend. Since when have you seen a HAMMER film with this level of psychological complexity...??? I think honestly what it boils down to is a matter of preference; this film simply didn't 'Do It' for you, that's all. Perhaps you tire of all the weird visuals and gimmicks as you see them such as using the video monitors. Okay, fair enough... But, to all you lovers of PSYCHOLOGICAL Horror / Thrillers out there, let me tell you, I have rarely seen a film with such a sense of unease and psychological disorientation as this one for quite a while... Now, as I mentioned before, 'SESSION 9' is one of my utmost, favorite films; but, while watching that one I had more of a sense of 'DAMN! This is friggin' awesome!' whereas with this film I had more of a sense of deeper unease because of the disorienting force of the story making me feel like 'What the HELL is gonna happen next!!???...'
So, in conclusion (if you all haven't already hanged yourselves by now... :) I would say that if you really want a good but somewhat ambiguous psychological thriller that will DEFINITELY keep you on the edge, and if you happen to like films similar to 'JACOB'S LADDER' or 'SESSION 9', then you should enjoy this film...