Rogue River (2011) User Reviews

Not worth your 77 minutes

[Monoxstride · 4/10 · 24 February 2012]

Let's see...where do I start? Let's start with what you're craving throughout the entire length of the film, character development. This is a basically non-existent element of the movie. The protagonist is unlikeable, a judgment which I base only on the first thing she says. The main reason why is because I actually have nothing else to go by. Her first impression is never redeemed, because her character never develops in the slightest. The only purpose of her existence is to be tormented and scream. And no, most horror protagonists are not necessarily like that. As far as the antagonists go, they do get more and more insane throughout, so at least something's happening.

There's no shortage of plot holes. I won't spoil anything (not that you'd care). But, I will say that even the motives of the kidnappers I feel were not fully explained.

Of course there's endless horror cliché's, but you're already expecting that. There are however some very creepy and original moments near the beginning.

I've heard people claim this is similar to Timber Falls (???). I honestly don't understand that at all. There's two scenes which bare a very slight resemblance to it, everything else is totally different. Those two scenes are not enough to accuse it of ripping off Timber Falls. Also, let's remember that Timber Falls is a much better film.

Ending on a positive note, the acting is pretty good actually. It has Bill Mosley of course. The other performers are quite good as well though.

4/10

Movie was average, at best.

[Christine_Plymouth_Fury1958 · 4/10 · 25 February 2012]

I try not to compare films with others and just watch it based on its own merit. Having said that, I thought the film was not as bad as most reviews made it out to be. The story had potential and the actors were quite convincing in their role.

What lacked for me was the lead actress not being able to connect with the audience. I think one of the most important things that a protagonist has to do is to be able to establish some sort of rapport with the people watching the film, and this is something she failed to do with me. I thought most of her decisions were quite questionable, though I did like the ending.

On its own, the story lacked some character developments and seemed to be "hurried", as if the writer wanted to get into the "action" real quick. The result was that the suspense did not build enough to put me at the edge of my seat, so to speak. There were a lot of instances for this, but the writer and director failed to deliver on this aspect.

The cinematography is good though. Scenes were clear and the shots complimented the entire movie.

All in all, it's an okay movie to watch if there's nothing else, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it to friends.

4

[Patient444 · 4/10 · 22 January 2012]

The horror indeed! Rogue River would have been rather interesting, if only..there wasn't already another movie with basically the same plot! Basically... at least 90% identically, no questions asked! Anyone remembers Timber Falls? Come on really, what was the point of this one? It is not better made, doesn't have more thrills, has the same location but it does manage to bring a whole lot more plot holes! Easy to anticipate, boring and annoying!

So, if you haven't seen Timber Falls and you are just dying to get a look at this one instead, here is one good reason why not to do it: BECAUSE "TIMBER FALLS" IS ACTUALLY GOOD!

It really is quite shameful, almost a shot-by-shot copy this Rogue River, i mean really, can't they at least pretend to think of an original story? Or maybe take one that is already out there, but bend it a little, add something to it, not make a "little baby sister that COULDN'T"!

Therefore, my advice, if you want to see a horror and you find Rogue River's story interesting, make one giant step and take on Timber Falls instead. You will thank me later, trust me! Enjoy!

Coward

[lastliberal-853-253708 · 5/10 · 25 January 2013]

The film starts off innocently enough. A woman (Michelle Page) goes to the river to spread her father's ashes. When she goes to leave, her car is missing. Fortunately, Jon (Bill Moseley) is available to giver her a ride. You wonder why he is there, but whatever, he is there and takes her home to meet his wife Lea (Lucinda Jenney).

They convince her to stay the night instead of going to a motel, and that's when the fun begins.

These two are definitely psycho, and the bizarre behavior keeps intensifying. It gets really bizarre before it is over.

When it is over, you will be scratching your head.

From the start.........

[paulkat-284-389132 · 2/10 · 21 July 2013]

My spouse and I were suspicious of the plot quality within the first few minutes. A sheriff does not tow a car parked in the woods for a short time, especially without checking around for the owner who could be left stranded miles from anywhere. This wasn't a downtown no-parking zone. No audible tow truck noise? More to the point, there wouldn't even have been time to get a tow truck into this remote side road! So why wasn't Mara immediately concerned about Jon's phony story? Why wasn't she upset about her missing car and why it vanished? First things first. This is nonsense. We watched the whole thing but found ourselves wanting Mara to use her head and ask more questions from the start.

From the Ashes of Disaster

[Gretchen_X · 2/10 · 19 September 2015]

Riddled with implausibilities, Rogue River will not satisfy those who want to believe and its lack of character development those who want to care.

Although there are ideas which contain potential, they are swiftly brushed aside before being explored to make way for the next method of torment. Outside of these details is a tired and predictable plot, which has its lowest point towards the end, where the escapees make an irrational decision with a consequence so obvious a flashing subtitle would've done just as well.

Whilst the acting is not terrible, with little to flesh out but the usual hints at a trauma background leading to psychosis, very few of the characters' actions make much sense. The narrative is lazy even for those who are not deemed irrational.

It's hard not to assume that most of the budget went on the helicopter for the opening aerial shots, which do a great job explaining the distance and evoking the depth of a history. The landscape is in fact the most promising part of this movie, with the closing shot - a lengthy, low angle retreat - almost a masterpiece in comparison to what led us there. It gives you the impression that the director really wanted to make a different movie.

Rogue River is one of those films to watch whilst doing something else.

Unwatchable!

[girl-cute74 · 1/10 · 29 May 2013]

Well it was almost midnight and I couldn't catch up with my sleep and so I decided to watch this movie to my surprise half way through the movie I was fast asleep and what can I say the movie makes me sleep the good think Is I was able to finally fall asleep and the bad is the movie is a disgrace for even a b rated movie!

The flaws are pretty much obvious which is bad acting,bad editing,bad dialogue and it makes absolutely no sense why the kidnappers are doing those thing to her! I just hope they would stop wasting money on movie where we cant sit through for even 15 minutes of it! Don't waste your money or your time on this piece movie it's just plain boring to sum it up!

A Decent Horror Movie for Fans of Weird Horror

[nhartwohl · 7/10 · 4 April 2016]

I actually really enjoyed this movie and I think the reason so many other people disliked it is because they had much different expectations of what the movie should be. Sometimes what really makes a horror movie messed up isn't the scary plot but the creepiness of the characters within and that's what I feel made this movie interesting. If you're a fan of horror movies with really odd characters then this movie is for you. The plot was not too special, although there were some decent shocking twists that really make your eyes widen. What really kept me invested in this movie was the extremely disconcerting characters which is something I love about horror movies like this one. If you're into horror that doesn't revolve around a supernatural plot and revolves around off-putting character relations and uncomfortable scenes like I am, then I would definitely recommend this movie. If you're easily bored by movies that don't have stellar plots with intense intricacy then maybe try something else.

nothing special

[trashgang · 5/10 · 23 July 2012]

By now i'm a bit afraid to watch flicks coming from the After Dark label. Most of them are okay but aren't gory or do has anything to show. There are of course some exceptions sadly this isn't.

I just couldn't care what happened with anybody in Rogue River. The acting was okay but not that it will win prices but it was a bit low on every grade. And it did also scriptwise. There's nothing original in it not that it has to be but it doesn't have anything to add towards the genre. Once the flick was over I thought, what did I just see and I couldn't really say it.

It's low on blood and gore, there's no nudity and some things you just could see coming. It's okay to watch it if you have nothing else to do or to watch but this wont become a classic. Luckily the way it was shot was rather good.

Gore 1/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 2/5 Story 2/5 Comedy 0/5

Mara comes across a couple who give her a place to stay, but their intentions are much more darker and she finds herself fighting for her life.

[churches1234 · 8/10 · 1 August 2014]

This movie has been given mostly bad reviews for being too disturbing, however I think that it is that shock-factor that makes it such a creative and well put together movie.

I really enjoyed this movie, as it has the common plot of a stranded person who gets a ride with a stranger, however it also has really good twists and turns along the way and you are left guessing right up to the very last moments. The ending is really well constructed and will shock viewers.

However there are certain aspects of the film that I found disturbing and I found the ending a little unexpected and it changed my view of the film a bit. I would recommend this movie to people who enjoyed the human centipede and movies such as that, and I would also recommend Wolf Creek to viewers who enjoyed this movie, it is not the same plot, but is a really good movie and there is also a sequel to it, which is also worth viewing.

A horror to watch the movie

[artiestje2002 · 1/10 · 30 July 2012]

I can be very, very short about this film. It was bad. It was a horror to watch it. No acting, no plot, no love for directing, no art direction, no story, no character depth, no script... If you read the headlines on the cover, you might think you're going to watch the new 'silence of the lambs' or the updated 'texas chainsaw massacre'. But no. It was pure horror to watch it. That's why i fast forwarded the last half an hour. Don't see it. After 5 minutes you now the ending of the movie. After 5 more minutes you know you won't see the ending. Life's too short. That's not the message from the movie.

Thankfully the movie was not expensive.

Hahaha

[blinkie1969 · 1/10 · 20 September 2021]

Hahaha hilarious bad and stupid movie!

Don't waste your time! I didn't listen to the others who said that and I'm sorry now!

Oh so predictable

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 13 April 2015]

ROGUE RIVER is one of those low budget horror films that feels like it has big aspirations. It wants to be the next big fear flick, the sort of film to have crowds flocking to theatres to get caught up in a thrilling journey into hell. Unfortunately it's an entirely predictable and routine affair, one that slavishly copies the plot of a dozen other movies (such as the Aussie flick THE LOVED ONES) while remaining singularly unsatisfying throughout.

The best thing ROGUE RIVER has going for it are some surprisingly decent production values, and effective cinematography to boot. Jourdan McClure certainly knows how to make his film look good on a budget, and there's none of that dodgy shaky cam editing to spoil things. The acting isn't too bad either; Michelle Page is a relatively likable heroine (until she starts making dumb decisions, that is) and Bill Moseley and Lucinda Jenney are quietly effective as the mysterious homeowners.

Unfortunately what sinks this is the calibre of writing, which just isn't up to much. For once I would like to watch a low budget horror film that avoids clichés, but I wonder if it will ever happen. There's the usual excursion into torture porn territory here (although thankfully nothing too distasteful), along with some extremely dumb character decisions in the second half that will make you despise the characters. I think of such moments as plot holes, designed purely to string a lacking plot out just a bit further, and they make ROGUE RIVER a disappointment.

Just Awful

[denicevanwees · 1/10 · 1 January 2013]

Bad story, bad unfolding (if there's even any). Just awful, I wished I followed the tip of other reviewers and just watched Timberfalls, and never ever even look at this one for a second. Some movies are banned because they are too gruesome, this one should be banned for being soo bad. DO NOT WATCH IF YOU LIKE GOOD MOVIES! Seriously, I'm trying really hard to come up with anything positive about this movie. But It's just not possible. I suppose I could say some of the surroundings look nice, but then I would implement there's something worth watching about this movie so I won't. If you want to see something good, go take a walk on the street. I'll guarantee It'll be more satisfying than this terrible movie.

The lovely Bill Moseley

[kosmasp · 5/10 · 23 January 2012]

I'm serious with the summary line, though I guess you can misinterpret it. If you have met him in person you know it's true. But if you were to meet him in a movie ... well that's a different story. Check the script and ask the screenwriter if you should be suspicious of him or not. And I'm not writing anything here, that hasn't been shown in the trailer of course.

But is the movie worth your time? Well that's a tough question. You might feel that it doesn't deserve to be seen, but you also might like that it doesn't exactly play as you might expect it (well not completely that is). The other thing you have to bear in mind, is that this has potential that it doesn't fully exploit. There are ideas thrown in here, that could have been really good. But it doesn't pull through. Not the best horror movie you'll see, but far from the worst too.

For a lower budget B rate horror movie this is actually not bad. Don't expect amazing but you could do worse. I give it a B.

[cosmo_tiger · 6/10 · 30 March 2012]

"We won't keep you. I promise." Michelle (Page) is sitting by a river getting ready to scatter her dad's ashes when Jon (Moseley) shows up and tells her it's illegal. When Michelle finds her car missing she accepts an offer of a ride by Jon. After going to his house and meeting his wife she begins to regret her decision. This is another example of liking a movie based on your expectations. I really thought this was going to be low budget and cheesy and I have to admit that it wasn't that bad. It is still a B movie, but it's a higher B movie. I really can't say that this is a good movie but it was much better then I expected and Moseley is really creepy in this. I was a little disturbed at some of the scenes and found myself turning away in some parts, but overall this is really not a bad movie. Overall, nothing amazing but for a short horror B movie you could do much worse. I give it a B.

Pathetic

[myspecialparadise · 1/10 · 15 July 2012]

Just another piece of trash to de-sensitize us to man's cruelty to man. Movies like this are not my idea of entertainment, they just feed the sick minds of those that may actually do these things to another human being. Films like this breed contempt, and have a lot to do with what is terribly wrong with our society today ... as though it actually gives us permission to be cruel towards one another. If the DVD cover had said a little more about what this movie consisted of, I would have passed it by. The title gave me a totally different idea of what the film might be ... a survival film? Basically, the acting was poor, as was the script, and this one goes right where it belongs ... in the trash.

LadyShalene

keep watching

[HumbleMensa · 9/10 · 16 March 2022]

Nothing new here to see, but holy shXt it is creepy and I turned the sound down several times. Sometimes, that is the ultimate test. I give this one a 9 for some seriously good effort for a B movie.

We won't keep you. I promise...

[paul_haakonsen · 6/10 · 16 May 2012]

When I picked up "Rogue River" it was for the sole reason that Bill Moseley was in it, that is why I wanted to see it.

"Rogue River" is about Mara who ventured into the woods to scatter her father's ashes into the river where he used to take her camping when she was a young girl. There she meets Jon, a friendly stranger who falls into conversation with her. Discovering her car missing, Jon offers her a ride, but she should know better than accept a ride from strangers.

For a movie of this kind, then "Rogue River" was actually quite good. The movie starts out good and lets you wonder about things, and gradually gives you more and more information about what is going on and the various people's abnormalities in personality, until it climaxes at its peak where it is like you are right there in the movie.

The movie is well directed and really captivating, even though there is not all that much new to be seen in the story. There were some nice, and somewhat devious, turn of events and twists to the storyline along the way, which worked out quite nice. And one of the best things about "Rogue River" was the way that you got to see more and more of the character's personalities and nature as the movie unfolded.

And the acting in the movie was quite good. "Rogue River" had a relatively small group of actors/actresses, but people really carried the movie so well with their performances in their given roles. Most memorable were Lucinda Jenney (playing Lea) and Bill Moseley (playing Jon).

Now, for a horror/thriller movie, there wasn't all that much scary stuff, but instead, "Rogue River" was great in building up thrills and setting up the story. And that is, how I imagine, that the movie worked out for the best. Had there been shocks and scare moments in the movie, it wouldn't have been the same; it wouldn't have been as psychologically thrilling as it was.

I enjoyed "Rogue River", though I was somewhat ambivalent about the ending of the movie. I wasn't sure if I liked how it ended, or if it was the appropriate way that it ended. I would probably have opted to go another way, had I been directing it. But hey, it is a matter of personal preference.

Thumbs up for "Rogue River".

Worth watching but there nothing we not seen before.

[atinder · 4/10 · 1 May 2013]

Marra is off to scattering her father ashes, at a remote part of Oregon's beautiful Rogue River.

She is interrupted by some stranger and then finds that hrr car as be taken away.

Then the stranger takes her to his house, with his girlfriends and they both tell her to stay their for the night.

This movie just felt really boring, I didn't really find it all that intense at but they did try, I don't think it worked.

I found the whole movie, very predicable as we knew already what going to happen and how it was going to end, way before the ending.

The acting wasn't too bad at all, some decent acting from most of the cast, I did laugh at some scenes, I am not sure, why I did.

4 out of 10

terrible

[a-baczewska · 1/10 · 3 June 2012]

It was terrible to watch it, . not because it was scary ... . more scary was to think that . someone spend money to produce it. . I am even more scared that some people will go to cinema . to watch it and they will spend . their hard earned money on tickets! . The story was boring, . idea not understandable actors without talent . but it had good music at beginning, though - so I was scared for a . little part of the movie before it started to develop . DO NOT WATCH It was terrible to watch it, . not because it was scary ... . more scary was to think that . someone spend money to produce it. . I am even more scared that some people will go to cinema . to watch it and they will spend . their hard earned money on tickets! . The story was boring, . idea not understandable actors without talent . but it had good music at beginning, though - so I was scared for a . little part of the movie before it started to develop . DO NOT WATCH

Nothing new, but not that bad either

[bowmanblue · 7/10 · 25 November 2014]

Okay, so the premise is as old as the hills in horror movie history - girl-on-her-own gets lost in unknown territory and ends up being either hunted and/or captured by the locals.

And there is nothing new here in Rogue River. However, I actually found I enjoyed (most) of it - which is more than I normally enjoy of this type of clichéd horror film.

First of all, when you watch these movies, you normally ask yourself the question: What would I do in this situation? If you see the heroine running away from the killer when she could have just put a bullet in his head then you begin to lose interest and start to hate it due to its obvious lack of realism. At least in Rogue River, the heroine isn't completely stupid. She does make logical decisions and does her best to escape. Therefore I found it watchable and wasn't shouting instructions at my TV screen.

All in all, it's worth a watch if you feel you can sit through another film like this.

It's only real drawback was the ending. I won't say too much about it for fear of spoiling it, but, in my opinion, there were 'questionable' decisions made by the writers which I felt wouldn't have happened in real life. But, despite that, I did enjoy most of the film which, as I've said, is more than I normally do of films with such 'been-there/done-that' plots.

A great actor, in a routine horror.

[RatedVforVinny · 6/10 · 31 October 2018]

Bill Mosely, is one of the very best actors of the horror/slasher genre but for some reason 'Rogue River', never really catches fire. In fact is one that dwindles in the memory. The cover artwork tends to be a rip-off of, 'I Spit on Your Grave'.

Overused scheme but still effective

[searchanddestroy-1 · 24 July 2023]

A phonebook like note book would not be big enough to put down every movie title of films speaking of this kind of scheme. A lonely - or a couple - more or less lost in the wilderness and suddenly confronted to "evil" forces, peasants, man hunters, psychopaths of all kinds.... This movie is effective, not too long - and that's a good point when you have not that much to tell - and tense. I have never heard of the director nor the actors but the contrary would have surprised me. Not a pure horror film but instead a thriller with some horror accents. Many viewers crave for this kind of low budget films, precisely because the lack of budget let you focus on the settings, story, atmosphere...Things that CGI, most of the time, prevent you to do....