Absentia (I) (2011) User Reviews

It deserves more credit than it's been given.

[user-undefined-1984 · 6/10 · 12 September 2012]

This movie is not perfect. For those who expect perfection, you'll be hard to please with this one.

I've read some negative reviews and many of them seem to be harping on how the lead actress is pregnant when her husband has been missing for 7 years or whether the events that transpired are supposed to be mere hallucinations of her younger drug-addicted sister. These things are definitely clarified in the movie, so if you find yourself being bothered by such trivial matters, you probably weren't paying attention.

The scary/horrifying moments are good; some of them did send shivers up my spine. The possibilities of what caused the horrific events are explained, and it's a phenomena that is in fact discussed in the real world. So its not entirely a senseless fantasy.

Yes there are moments that seem unexplained, but again, with enough attention paid, you'll be able to figure out why this character was doing that or why that character said this. In a way, this movie reminds me of Rosemary's Baby, in that much is left up to your imagination; no in-your-face creatures and gore. BUT this is definitely MUCH BETTER than Rosemary's Baby as just the right amount is revealed to terrify while just the right amount is left a mystery, for added suspense and thrill.

In my opinion, it worked. I'd give this a 6 only because the soundtrack of the movie bothered me a little. But it deserves a 6.5. I mean Rosemary's Baby annoyed the crap out of me for too much was left unknown and unseen. Yet that's got a whopping 8/10. Give this movie a shot.

Good premise that just got boring

[RMS1949 · 5/10 · 12 March 2013]

While I try to be more lenient with Low Budget productions, I still try and give my honest opinion on what I saw. It mas made very well and all the actors did a fine job.. But for me suspenseful thrillers should keep building and then have a satisfying climax. Unfortunately Absentia does neither... It starts off by creating an eerie atmosphere, offers several paths to take, but then just keeps doing that same attempt to pull you in over and over.. Once you already "pulled" the audience in,, you should then take them on a wild ride forward, not keep repeating the previous premises till it's monotonous,,.. Anyway, it was okay for a single viewing and I do wish all involved the best of luck on their next adventure...

Amazing...

[paul_haakonsen · 7/10 · 7 June 2012]

"Absentia" actually turned out to be a rather nice surprise of a movie. I must admit that I had expected somewhat more horror from it, whereas it turned out to be a character driven mystery instead. But still, it was quite nice.

The story is about Tricia Riley (played by Courtney Bell) whose husband Daniel Riley (played by Morgan Peter Brown) has been missing for seven years, and now ready to have the death certificate issued and brought the case to a closure, something unexpected happens...

The movie is slow paced, but that actually works out well enough in favor of the movie, as it helps to build the setting and set up the mood for the entire story. The director, Mike Flanagan, is great at adding little bits to the story while building up a good sense of mystery and dread, and at the same time leaving almost everything up to the imagination of the viewer.

"Absentia" was really brought to life on the screen by the people they had cast for the various roles. Sure this wasn't a major Hollywood production with an obscene amount of money put into the project, but Mike Flanagan proves that you don't need a ridiculously huge budget in order to make a memorable movie that sinks right in. So despite it being a smaller budget movie, the end result was far better than what I had expected.

If you like movies that are thick on suspense and a dire mood, then "Absentia" is well worth checking out. Don't watch this movie with the hopes or intentions to be scared out of your brain, because it is just not that type of horror movie.

I was thoroughly entertained by "Absentia" and I do love it when I happen to fall upon the odd movie here and there that is a gem in disguise. And it was a nice treat to sit in the dark and sort of being fed just enough information to make you start to think and try to figure out what was going on, and at the end being left in the dark to draw your own conclusions as to what was really going on.

Thumbs way up for "Absentia".

"It's Sleeping!"...

[azathothpwiggins · 15 December 2019]

An early film from Director Mike Flanagan, ABSENTIA is about sisters Tricia (Courtney Bell) and Callie (Catherine Parker). Tricia has finally decided to have her missing husband declared dead in absentia, after 7 years. Unfortunately, it's not that simple, and bizarre circumstances unfold that point to something far more sinister than a disappearance.

Dark, mysterious, and, in spots, terrifying, this low budget film is evidence of what can be accomplished with some imagination and talent. While there are no big special effects, there is a well-written story, as well as great acting from the principal characters.

The strained yet close relationship between Tricia and Callie feels authentic, and their dialogue is natural / unforced. This makes the otherworldly threat they face seem more real, and in the end, more devastating. Ultimately, this is a tale of love and tragic loss, accentuated by horror. There's a tie-in to folklore that helps to flesh things out.

Creepy, disturbing, and satisfying...

A very slow and drawn out horror movie that is actually really good and worth watching. Surprisingly good movie. I say B

[cosmo_tiger · 6/10 · 25 February 2012]

"In the last 100 years 5 people from this neighborhood have all disappeared in the same spot." While preparing to declare her husband dead in absentia Tricia (Bell) is joined by her estranged sister Callie (Parker). After a jog Callie finds a stranger in the local tunnel and begins to read about strange happenings related to the tunnel. She begins to try and convince everyone that there is more to the tunnel then they see. This is a very strange movie to review. On one hand it is a very neat idea with pretty good acting that keeps you interested. On the other hand it is also a good half hour movie that is stretched out and some parts are very repetitive and boring. There are some movies where nothing seems to happen that are a struggle to get through and there are some where you keep watching and your not sure why. This one is the later. Overall, a slow and drawn out but enjoyable movie that deserves to be watched. I give it a B.

Decent low budget horror for a change

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 21 October 2014]

ABSENTIA marks a refreshing change for the low budget horror genre; there are no lame zombies here or psycho killers torturing their nubile victims. Instead, this is a sweeping, Lovecraftian episode in creeping terror, a subtle production where it's all about what you don't see rather than what you do. There are few clichés or stock jump scenes here, just originality shining through instead.

The entire movie is set around a creepy haunted subway and it's here that the director really shines. Mike Flanagan knows what works when it comes to building a sense of unease and undefined tension on the screen and a wonderfully evocative score really adds to the experience. Some viewers may be put off by the fact that the film's just too subtle in places - it could easily be described as one of those movies where "nothing much happens", like THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT - but like BLAIR WITCH it knows what it's doing.

There are flaws here, not least a slightly overwrought script and some particularly unsympathetic characters who do little to gain the viewer's sympathy or indeed attention. Courtney Bell is saddled with the most uninteresting part, although at least Katie Parker's character has a little more conflict with her druggie background. Still, ABSENTIA is a film where the characters come a distinct second in comparison to the genuine suspense and fear built up elsewhere. Watch out for a creepy cameo from Doug Jones.

Good Effort for Independent Horror but Misses the Mark

[endingstart9 · 5/10 · 24 October 2011]

This was a good effort for a small budget independent horror film. I think some ideas were promising - for example, there's a great twist in there around half way through that makes you go "hmm, I wonder where they will take this" which is fantastic. You don't get to think that a lot in horror films. The first half has some generic scary scenes - I wish it wasn't just a man with white makeup making a scary face because it's been overdone. It's not haunting. But, good overall pacing. However, instead of really turning the second half into something quite scary or chilling, the explanation for what's going on falls flat. Without ruining the story, when the "reveal" happens it's just not scary whatsoever. One of the characters goes on a little rant to explain it all to her sister and it's quite comical (not sure if that was intentional or not, but it came across as silly). Instead of leaving some ambiguity at the end, everything is beat over our head again and again and it feels too forced. I think if some things were pulled back a tad and executed slightly differently, this film would have been more successful. The acting was good (no complaints there) and the use of the tunnel imagery was nice. Some comical scenes between the cop and the sisters were chuckle worthy as well. Overall, not bad. But, unfortunately, not the hyped up film I was expecting. Taking into consideration that this is an independent horror film, I would give it 6/10. But, as a film overall I'll stick with the 5.

sincere acting and good use of limited resources make for a worthwhile effort in the indie scare genre.

[sasha-m-robinson · 6/10 · 26 April 2013]

Dogs as sacrifices, a hoarding insect monster, hallucinations (or hauntings) by a not-quite dead husband, a sister back from rehab with a mysterious past- this movie has so many crazy elements (both clichéd and unusual) that it had the potential to be a real mess. Instead, sincere acting and good use of limited resources make for a worthwhile effort in the indie scare genre.

As Tricia tries to move on from the death of her husband, she has to face a new challenge as her sister Callie comes to stay with her. Continually haunted by visions (or hallucinations?) of her husband's deathly pale, bruised form as she finally has him declared legally dead, Tricia tries meditation to try to calm her frayed nerves. Caught in the trappings her the traumatic end of her marriage, even her pregnancy hasn't allowed her to move on or out of the house the two of them shared. At first it seems as though Callie's influence and clear-headed insights gained from her post-rehab life may help Tricia to make the jump. Her practical advice helps Tricia choose an apartment and begin packing up.

Across the street from Tricia and Daniel's house is the entrance to a tunnel- the usual concrete-and-graffiti-style hole you might find in a number of suburban neighborhoods. Callie doesn't hesitate to go through it as a shortcut on her daily run the first morning she spends with Tricia. On her way back, she encounters a man lying on the ground in the tunnel who looks malnourished and possibly homeless- she thinks she recognizes a fellow addict, and is reluctant to brush him off completely when he pleads incoherently with her for help. She returns later that night to bring him food, a gift that sets in motion a dark and surprising series of events.

The acting in this film is subtle, the relationships between the characters both believable and engaging as new secrets and twists are revealed, and the quiet little neighborhood takes on a satisfyingly sinister cast as things start to deteriorate between the sisters and Tricia's newfound peace of mind.

Less smooth is the last 1/3 of the story- I am still in the dark about WHAT it was exactly that caused Daniel's disappearance and why his warnings to his family and the police go un-deciphered. The ending, also, left something to be desired- you can sense a theme of sacrifice tied to some kind of metaphor about Callie's drug addiction and un- tethered lifestyle, but the final scene doesn't capitalize on this at all.

Overall I enjoyed most of this film, and I especially enjoyed watching a low-budget film that the actors, producers and directors had clearly put a lot of talent and energy into.

Visit [e-mail] for more horror reviews!

strange flick were nothing is really explained

[trashgang · 5/10 · 27 February 2012]

So far I haven't seen a flick directed by Mike Flanagan and this doesn't add his name to my 'directors look out' list. It's a bit difficult to review this flick because it goes very slowly and somehow you just wants to know what is in the tunnel. But it's clearly to see that it is a low budget flick because there are in fact no effects used.

By doing so you need a good script. And the script was okay but still sometimes it all took a bit too long or some scene's did reappear like the praying in the bed room or the yoga stuff. But you kept looking due the acting. I can't say that they did it bad. Katie Parker (Callie) and Courtney Bell (Tricia) did well and were believable and had to say so many lines here because there's a lot of talking going on. Even as there isn't any red stuff in it or effects it's them who made it watchable. And they are just in the business so a big cheer to them both.

At the end you are still full of unsolved questions and not everything is explained but it's worth looking at. This flick shows that a flick full of blah blah isn't always struggle to get through. Not exactly my kind of horror but I'm sure due the situations that you surely knew such a place, read tunnel, in your neighborhood that looks creepy.

Gore 1/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 1/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5

flanagan's roots

[FeastMode · 6/10 · 23 March 2021]

After enjoying Ouija origin of evil and hush, and after ADORING oculus, i decided to watch some of flanagan's other movies. you can see his raw talent at work in this indy flick. you could definitely feel the low-budget nature of the movie, but you could also feel the clever story-telling and creative scares, not to mention the general sense of dread and suspense. i had a good time with this movie (1 viewing, 3/21/2021)

Great DVD cover, nothing like it in the actual film

[rstef1 · 4/10 · 22 April 2012]

Many reviewers will pontificate that if you didn't like this it's because you're jaded by big budget, Hollywood style, shock-a-minute horror movies. Or you don't have the attention span for cerebral horror.

Nonsense.

A good low budget indie movie like Halloween, Insidious or Blair Witch Project can deliver the goods, this film doesn't. Too slow moving, with virtually no payoff. There are a couple quick creep-out moments, one in which we're teased with the briefest glimpse of a cool centipede-like creature, however, that's all you get. After dragging along for the better part of 80+ minutes like a Lifetime drama, there's a brief bit of action and then the end arrives and just collapses in on itself. Forget about getting anything like an explanation, the writer/director/producer was just going for mood. He barely gets that, just plodding pace, repetitious scenes, average to mediocre performances (there is no character development, just cardboard cutouts going through the paces), and a rather annoying soundtrack that sounds more morose than eerie.

It's not awful, and I see by the reviews that some viewers enjoy the "feel" that the director was striving for, but I "feel" it could have been done way better.

Deeply Unsettling!

[PatrickTheRedMenace · 9/10 · 15 January 2012]

This somber yet deeply unsettling film managed to give me the willies even in the less-than-ideal Horrorhound Weekend screening.

Not soon after a pregnant woman (Katie Parker) declares her missing husband (Morgan Peter Brown) legally dead, she begins to having terrifying visions that hint that maybe she spoke too quickly. Writer/director Flanagan pulls off an incredible feat with this film. He manages to reinvent the ghost story, then takes it to an unexpected, even creepier place.

Don't be fooled by the show-burn pacing, because the almost-suffocating tension had me squirming in my seat, forgetting to breathe.

It's been almost a year since I've seen ABSENTIA. What haunts me most is not the disturbing visuals or even the deeply unsettling story line. It's the mood. When I simply think about the title, I hear in my head its stark, two-note funeral organ score and my chest wells up with emotions not usually incurred by watching a horror movie: grief, loss and perhaps the most terrifying of all…the dread of inevitability.

Toss in a pitch perfect cast, including a heart-wrenching cameo from the always delicious Doug Jones, and BOOM! You've got my favorite horror movie of 2011.

Slow burn until the last 20 minutes of the movie.

[dlmyst-29813 · 7/10 · 5 July 2020]

This movie was great, the actors were believable and what little they showed of the monster was creepy. Anyone with a brain would of bounced the moment they piece what's going on. Especially what happened around late middle of the movie. I so would of left that area and live in a car somewhere far far away from that place. The ending was interesting and I wish they explained more of what the monster wants.

Wheres the other shoe?....

[FlashCallahan · 2/10 · 1 August 2013]

Tricia's husband has been missing for seven years. Her sister, Callie comes to stay with her as she finally declares him dead.

Callie finds herself drawn to a tunnel near the house. As she begins to link it to other mysterious disappearances, it becomes clear that the husbands disappearance might be sinister....

So Callie continues to run through the tunnel regardless...

if you like your horror movies cheap, and featuring lots of sinister creatures with their eyes missing and floating above beds, this is for you.

And without one single scare.

It's a good idea, and the two leads are really good, but the rest of the cast stink, especially the detective who looks like Pruitt Taylor Vince, just detract from the overall atmosphere of the film and takes you away from what is going on.

Kudos to the makers trying so hard with such a limited budget, but why get Doug Jones in a worthless role, just to give the film some added gravitas?

Come the end of the film, we are treated to another unseen body pull a character away, and then the one trying to save them get the blame.

And then come the end, someone runs down the scary tunnel and loses a shoe.

it's been done hundreds of times before, and better.

Sorry, just didn't do anything to for me.

Awful, boring, absurd, and ridiculous

[ssolow · 4 February 2012]

So much for watching films based on other reviewers reactions. I hoped this would be a good horror film because so many viewers seemed to like it. What I found was a ridiculous, slow paced, poorly acted, clichéd piece of junk.

What makes it worse is that it does hook you in at first with the expectation that the plot is going to make some sort of sense or that something worth waiting for is going to happen. What happens is that some giant insect living in the 4th dimension is hanging out in some damn tunnel and kidnapping people. It feeds them some animals but I guess there is no showers there because they have to wear the same clothes for years and years. Oh, and you can trade with the big spider insect thing. If you bring it a puppy or some watches or something it might give you back your loved one worse for the wear.

Horror film lovers are so desperate for entertainment that just because this film is not out of focus and has a minimum of suspense to sustain it they forgive the most banal acting and absurd premise. The horror really is in watching this film and feeling your life blood and precious time drain out of you.

Frustrating!

[gemini_dremz · 7/10 · 19 July 2013]

I found this film frustrating. Though I thought the concept was intriguing, what I found disappointing is how the characters were made to look ridiculously stupid. I understand how absurd a story like this would be if you heard it and why the sister is not a credible witness. However, all the clues were there and the police still couldn't figure it out? The sister told them what she saw, she even did research on missing people in the area and her sister still refused to believe it. Another problem is that Daniel and another victims' son refuse to say a word about what's happening. Why would they not tell?! The bottom line is, the viewer is left hanging never knowing what really happened to the victims or what was taking them.

Not a bad film. Stuck halfway between horror and thriller, but not very good at either

[JvH48 · 6/10 · 10 November 2012]

I saw this film as part of the Imagine film festival (SF/fantasy/horror) Amsterdam 2012. It was labeled as horror, and thus had lots of scary moments. Some however were of the simplistic "shock only" category, and needed some improvement to leave a notable impact on the viewer.

The film could also be labeled as a thriller. It showed many good features to deserve such a categorization. Throughout the story it remained unclear what was real and what not. And, of course, relatives and policemen didn't believe our main character. She was sent away with explanations like drug usage, or that she was suffering from a trauma due to personal loss.

Some things in the scenario left me confused, as if the writers tried to get the best of two worlds. The horror aspect of the story produced ghostly appearances in the house (several) and in the tunnel nearby (a few). On the other hand, the thriller aspect suggested an explanation "underneath" that a semi-hell world exists, some temporary dwelling place between heaven and hell. In the latter case, it was unclear why some "inhabitants" of this hidden world were allowed to show themselves to the living.

All in all, this film was not bad but also not very good. Maybe the scenario writers should have made up their mind. They now seem wavered halfway between horror and thriller, thus leaving us with a product that is not very good at either.

Not terribly good

[kelvynchin · 3/10 · 5 January 2013]

Look. Kudos for a reasonably polished film on a minuscule budget, but I'm sorry to say that this was a pretty boring film.

If you'd like to see a film that clearly is shot on a small budget, has unattractive leads who are clearly amateur actors, no special effects at all, a grating 2 note "film score" , poor script, amateur direction, then by all means. I wasted 90 minutes on this. There was actually nothing ingenious or original about the whole plot. It's a basic monster abduction story, told through the POV of two unappealing protagonists, and there was no suspense , nor was there anything creepy. Nada. It would have been better if it was studio produced with better technical credits and professional actors. I can't understand how this "horror" film managed to garner such good comments and/or awards. Just try watching something like Ti Wests' The Innkeepers after this movie - the difference in quality is huge.

All in all, this was a waste of time.

Major Studio Heads Should See This

[dukevega · 7/10 · 29 June 2012]

I saw this based on a recommendation from my brother, who is into movies although not as much as I am; after seeing this, I am glad I listened to him. My gripe against most big "horror" movies is that they are wall-to-wall gorefests which are excuses for the special effects crew to show off while any plot and characterization go right out the window; this movie did not fall prey to that mistake.

In this movie it kept the focus on where it should be, on the characters and the story while keeping the special effects to a minimum. There were a few scary moments , but mostly the film worked on creating an atmosphere of menace, which was doubly effective given the urban setting. The major movie studios need to take note; this is how you make a scary movie.

Oh boy...

[ravenhair702 · 2/10 · 1 December 2012]

Okay. My wife and I are at the redbox and we come to that point where we look at each other because everything good is rented out. we scroll through and both agree upon THIS movie...sadly.

Aside from the all too hitting-in-the-face-fact that you can tell this flick is shot like a home movie..you know...the whole shaky camera thing...obvious from the start. To say this movie takes a while to get going is a bit of an understatement. I wanted to do the one thing I ALWAYS do during a bad movie...FASTFORWARD. But I gave the movie the benefit of the doubt. I know as a professional horror movie renter that 99% of all horror movies do NOT end well. I accept this. But this ending just...well after watching the WHOLE movie...it just blows...sorry. I would advise against renting this one. Instead...I hear the watching paint dry channel has a new special...shades of blue. Check it out...

Michael Flanagan's next movie might be worth watching if he has a much bigger budget.

[suite92 · 6/10 · 25 September 2013]

Callie moves back with Tricia, who lives in a burglary prone area of Glendale, CA, USA.

Tricia is pregnant, and aiming to move, but not quite getting there.

Tricia is moving to get her missing husband declared legally dead after seven years. A lawyer and Ryan help her with this. Callie helps push.

While those factors are in play, Callie has been out running; she often goes through a tunnel under the freeway. She has some odd encounters there. About the same time, Tricia starts hallucinating her dead husband's presence. Her shrink helps her deal with this. After (probably stolen) objects are dumped on the welcome mat, Callie returns them to the tunnel. Later, she finds twice as much in her futon. The women discuss this with the police.

Callie and Tricia find another place; Tricia starts dating her baby's father, Ryan, openly.

As the first date was about to start, Daniel shows up. Ryan sees him, Callie sees him, Tricia sees him.

The police and the hospital figure out that he has been eating animals, including bones. His memory is shot. Callie tries to connect with him, as does Ryan. Tricia, of course, is hurricane level angry. Ryan makes his case as a better mate than the current version of Daniel--the death certificate is accurate, metaphorically speaking.

Daniel speaks with Callie, describing the monster that enslaved him for years. Daniel tells her that he wished that Callie had not bartered with it (the food, the trinkets she returned) since the monster fixates. Then wham, the monster takes him back and drags him into the tunnel, and absorbs him into the wall.

Unfortunately, while this happened, Callie was high, and the police noticed it, as did Tricia.

The last half hour is about dealing with Daniel being gone again. The energy for the search is heightened by the existence of other missing persons cases associated with the same tunnel. Callie helps highlight this, but faces rough sledding convincing anyone. Tricia has to deal with Daniel's parents. The cops get a little traction in the matter, but not a whole lot.

Scores--- Cinematography: 7/10 The camera work is often top notch. At other times, it is just bush league, so I assume this is a (bad) conscious choice.

Sound: 8/10 Fairly good. Seldom drops out. The background sounds are sometimes irritating.

Acting: 7/10 Reasonably good. The two women leads were much better than I expected, and I liked the actors who played the two detectives.

Screenplay: 8/10 Has a beginning, middle, and an end. I had no problems with exposition of motivation. The technical scores point to a four out of five rating, but the film has no significance for me. I read about 20 reviews of it, by people who clearly watched the same movie I did. There tended to be a lot of energy in the reviews from those who gave it high ratings and from those who gave it low. I could not agree with either group; it's just not that interesting.

Special Effects: 7/10 Not very many of them, which a low budget necessitates. No spectacular gaffes that I noticed.

Mehhh

[Mattmcfaden · 1/10 · 26 October 2012]

I actually created an account just to say I thought this movie was awful. Big fan of horror films and I'm absolutely not a credible person to critique any movie with confidence; but the only reason I watched the entire length was for the hope that Something! Would happen. Never came. I realize it was low budget and for that I give it to the directors and producers. But was very let down. It did have a few creepy moments but they alone couldn't outweigh the boredom I got from this Movie. Very uneventful. I will say that I do have hope for the future films Of mike Flanagan, I believe this movie could have been better with a larger budget and the premise was great, it just never really pulled me into to the storyline or the characters.

Slow and atmospheric creeper makes for a pretty impressive experience.

[BloedEnMelk · 9/10 · 5 April 2012]

I do not really understand why the average rate of Absentia is so low. Well, maybe I do understand, if you watch this horror with the expectations that you get a fast paced gore filled typical horror movie, you will be disappointed. Absentia is a slow one, and it basically has no real gore. So just skip it if that's what you are going for, and save this little gem the downrates which it really doesn't deserve.

Now, that having sad, Absentia has something different to offer. It's not per say in the storyline itself, which, when you read it, doesn't seem too original. What it's got to offer is mainly in the mood. The soundtrack, which is relatively minimum, really adds to the claustrophobic and depressing atmosphere. The acting is well done, realistic and believable, and the characters are well worked out and take the plot to a higher level. There are some weird things in the plot that make you wonder what is really going on. It gives the perfect sense of mystery, never fully explaining it, but definitely enough to leave you satisfied.

I found Absentia more of an experience, though it doesn't come short to the story at all. Things may or may not make sense, and you might wonder a couple of times how much comes to perception and how much of it is really happening, it doesn't take anything away from the story or from the mood. It only adds to it.

I was a bit reluctant when I put the DVD into my player but all my doubts faded away within the first minutes. The movie is perfectly shot, everything just works really really well. I am very pleasantly surprised and think it certainly belongs to one of the best horror movies of 2011.

The only bad thing I have to say about it is that a few times I found it hard to follow the dialogue (mumbling) and had to rewind to listen to it again.

Watch it if you get the chance, and if you like horror which crawls deeply under your skin. Do not watch it if you want action and gore.

We enjoyed it, Flanagan shows his talents in horror, definitely worth watching!!

[joiningjt · 7/10 · 24 August 2021]

Does it have its flaws yes, were their unanswered questions, yes, is it worth watching anyway...YES. It didn't have that big reveal or huge ending but it did answer questions we had. Overall with a bigger budget and more time this would have been a huge hit. The story and execution was excellent and if you like a low scare low or no gore horror here you go. No money for special effects but the director does a good job of not needing them. Had no idea this was a Mike Flanagan if I did I would have seen it a LONG time a go.

Not Worth The Time

[wmelville88 · 3/10 · 28 July 2012]

I watch horror movies for 2 reasons. Obviously to be scared/thrilled, but more importantly to see a creative story. This lacked both of these completely.

Any movie filmed in dark houses and with creepy music will be slightly scary (think boogeyman from the Disney channel) There are probably 3 parts in this movie in entirety that are even close to being scary and they desperately fall short.

Now for the story. Good idea, I can dig it, but missed the mark completely, there are way too many unanswered questions and parts of the movie that just don't make sense and with no elaboration on the many of the minor themes, you're just confused and bothered that you just wasted a short 80 minutes.

At one point they mention atoms and how everything is just space and then change the subject after like 30 seconds. Very very poor job there.

In short, too ambitious, all over the place, confusing, boring, corny at times, not worth it. The three stars are for the fact its made with 70 grand, that is just straight up damn impressive. Nice job there.