The Aviary (2022) User Reviews

I don't understand the good reviews . . .

[cynthiacaton · 3/10 · 10 April 2023]

. . . did we watch the same movie?

It is a 90 minute conversation between two cult survivors lost in the desert. Unfortunately, nothing interesting is ever really happens, and I guessed the ending. It left me sad and disappointed. I did not feel challenged or intrigued, just bored.

There will be no value added to your life if you watch this movie. There are no revelations or and the story telling is meh. The acting is OK but the script is non existent.

I was so surprised that the story did not go anywhere, much like the main characters. I felt like I was being punished along with them. Give it a miss.

Try to see things my way

[nogodnomasters · 4/10 · 29 May 2022]

Jillian (Malin Akerman) and Blair (Lorenza Izzo) are walking in the desert attempting to escape the cult Sky Light at their Aviary grounds. The issue is that the cult leader Seth (Chris Messina) is constantly in their heads and they have illusions and dreams.

They end up going in circles as clues slowly come out until the end. The climax was not great and two women walking in the desert is not my idea of entertainment. Script doesn't work well for cinema.

Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.

Did the actors pay to be in this movie?

[TheValleyHillBilly · 3/10 · 7 April 2023]

The story is so bland and boring that the actors must have paid to be in it as a self promotion/marketing tool. Reminds me of the cheap SciFi movies the SciFy channel makes, with cheesy special effects and pointless plots and a no name cast. Cast has lots of credits, but only in "C" movies. This movie is even too bad to be the 2nd of a double feature popularized in theatres until the 70s. Prop budget must have been $100. It might be a good movie to watch if you are doing something and just want some noise in the background. I gave it a "3" because I think the actors tried their best to present a decent movie. Unfortunately, it was doomed from the start.

The ONE reason you should not watch this movie

[keywester-05337 · 2/10 · 2 May 2022]

I never give twos but, this is deserved. The one reason? This movie goes nowhere very, very, very slowly. My wife got up and left with 15 minutes left and she likes everything. I left too, with 15 minutes left you know there's no way they can pull a satisfying ending. The actresses going crazy is so annoying and so badly acted. Really call a friend, take your pet for a walk, write that email you've been meaning to write. Take the time you didn't spend on this movie and make the world a better place.

Two idiots lost in the desert talking about nothing.

[jonasatmosfera · 1/10 · 1 May 2022]

The title of the review summarizes the whole movie (sic).

There is nothing in it. Nothing. Zero. Nilch. Zilch. Nada

I've seen talks on Insurange Industry conferences that wore thrilling, exciting and rewarding compared to this little "gem".

I am sure that not even the artsy-fartsy can sit through this coma-inducing opus.

Bunch of crap

[rotini-52586 · 1/10 · 30 April 2022]

Don't waste your time on this one. Nothing here unless you like background noise. Not worth the time. Better off watching the football draft. Less boring than this.

Complete waste of time

[PhenasiQerim · 2/10 · 2 May 2022]

If you watch the wall of your room, it will make more sense than this movie. Give an iphone to kindergarden kids, they can shoot a better movie.

I gave 2 stars only for Malin.

Complete Waste Of Digital Film

[omendata · 2/10 · 26 May 2022]

Two clueless women go for walkabout in the desert with no water, no supplies and no common sense.

Nothing happens of any interest, zero scares, zero thrills, zero plot, woeful script written on the back of a pack of Marlboros!!!

The End!

Any Movie That Challenges the Audience Gets Bad Scores

[jburtonprod-802-759029 · 7/10 · 31 August 2022]

I think IMDB has been lobotomized by the Marvel Universe generation. Any movie that is challenging and requires any thought gets ridiculously bad scores.

This is a good slow burn thriller. It has a non-relenting creepy feeling to it. Malin Akerman and Lorenza Izzo put in good performances as two women who have just escaped a cult. It kept me guessing right up to end and the ending, though satisfying, was not what I expected. It's the type of movie that makes you wonder what just happened.

It's definitely worth a watch if you want an escape from mindless CGI action spectacles and want a real movie about real people where something real is at stake.

Such a waste

[nilssonnicklas · 2/10 · 13 May 2022]

I mostly skipped forward and tried to find a part in the movie that wouldn't wana make me skip forward but there werent any. I choose this movie moslty because och Chris(on of my favourite actors) and he does his thing and is great as always. Malin gives a strong performance to but the plot ruins it all! I get it, the writers and the director try to reach out with the message etc but having great actors in a movie with a "scanty" plot and scenes etc- nah whata waste! Maybe, there wasn't enough budget... Because with a better backstory and more scenes with inclusive content, it could´ve been something good. Such a waste!

Slow Burn Psychological Thriller

[basilikus-40476 · 8/10 · 3 May 2022]

This movie was a psychological thriller that actually kept me guessing until the end. The two main actresses work well together, and Malin Akerman is good in everything she tries. There are no jump scares, there is no man with a chainsaw - but the character work, the realistic descent into madness, and the psychological possibilities set forth by the plot are interesting a-f. If you want some regurgitated plot about a psycho on a rampage - this isn't for you.

I like this movie.

[vaskiv-65411 · 6/10 · 29 July 2022]

A good psychological thriller about brainwashing by cult leaders and the traumatic consequences.

Yes, the film has problems: it lacks tension, a slow pace and a slightly long running time. The plot is somewhat vague, but there is an unreliable narrator and it is intriguing. The two actresses played their roles well.

A good movie that is not as simple as it seems at the beginning.

Most are right, this movie is bad.

[hanyo007 · 1/10 · 5 December 2022]

I should have read the reviews before wasting 95 minutes. Oh well, I had nothing to do, and it was cold outside. Earlier this year, I thought I had seen the worst movie in years, but this one was even worse. Other reviewers trying to tell us we are wrong might not be correct.

Granted, most people like block busters, but this one is just busted. The budget must have been the lowest in movie history. The most expensive prop was a small trailer home.

Malin Akerman looked so bad that I didn't recognize her and forget the other one.

Someone else said they had seen commercials more interesting, and unfortunately, they were right. I am just glad that I didn't have to pay to see this movie.

Not captured and the acting and storyline was unintersting

[garyvines-01290 · 3/10 · 24 April 2023]

I feel a little guilty giving this only a 3 after turning it off after only like 10 minutes. I can usually tell where a movie is going within that time frame and I was frankly not intersting in see where it may have gone even if it weren't being acted like a "Lifetime," movie.

Malin Ackerman, was the draw for me. I liked her in "The Comeback," and in "The Watchmen," but those two shows had something in common, she was surrouded by great actors who masked her inability.

I don't know who the other actress was and I wasn't interested in finding out.

Avoid this movie, I didn't watch it past 10 minutes and I wasn't intersted in finding out what went on.

Misdirected animosity

[skyemail-79755 · 6/10 · 13 September 2022]

I think the bad reviews which say the movie had no plot are from folks who do not understand mind control and the programming that sabotages deprogramming.

As the two women flee the cult, they bolster each other which triggers programming that leads to hallucinations that are frightening, and make them suspicious of each other. As the film reaches its climax, another hallucination leads to its horrifying outcome. We know from survivors of MK Ultra programming, that when they are old enough to start remembering their torture as children, a suicide program is activated. Many do not survive this. Such deviousness is portrayed in this film. But film is also art and this is not going to be spelled out for you. You experience it. You react to it on a feeling level. Then you have to mull it over and figure it out. Many expect to be passively entertained with no effort on their part. This film is not for them.

I have criticisms of the film, but not for lack of a plot. The plot is brilliant. Imagine walking in circles convinced you are walking west because of the sun. There is only one way that could happen. No matter how long they traveled, they never got very far from the Aviary. What is an Aviary but a really large bird cage? "You never really left."

Nice movie. Nice plot

[anaissiller · 8/10 · 9 May 2022]

I don't know what's with all the hate. The movie has an ending, it leads somewhere, it has a plot about a cult leader controlling the sheep. But especially through the program called synthesis he is really able to control the protagonist. It's a good movie. It reminded me of NXIVM because the cult leader looks similar to Raniere and the victims here were branded as well.

headline

[liamseery · 7/10 · 19 January 2023]

If you've ever had a 90 minute conversation with someone and then said "what a waste of time nothing even blew up" then steer clear of this one.

This movie is basically 2 people having a conversation. If you think a 90 minute conversation between 2 people can't be interesting maybe you should come back as a vole and see if that suits you better.

Writing reminded me a bit of david mamet, the lance henrickson masterpice The Nature Of The Beast and overall style of Lucky McKee's Roman.

In the interest of full disclosure i skipped through it watching maybe 5 of every 30 seconds but after getting the gist of it i'd watch it again with someone.

Less is More

[Ushioni · 9/10 · 11 October 2022]

There is a lot to like about this movie. For those looking for a typical Hollywood horror film, this isn't it. I think this movie has more in common with Jean-Paul Sartre's "No Exit" than Scream or Jason vs. Freddy. In fact, I think this movie would go over well as a theatre piece.

The acting was top-notch, delivering a sense of dread and paranoia throughout.

I do think the ending under-delivered a bit, but on the other hand I can't imagine a better resolution to the situation these women found themselves in.

Kudos to the directors for not resorting to cheap Hollywood jump-scares to deliver the dread.

9/10.

Maybe not for everybody, but I really liked it

[ejonconrad · 9/10 · 7 December 2022]

It's clear from the reviews that this movie isn't for everyone.

Do you want action or jump scares? If so, this movie isn't what you're looking for.

On the other hand, if you want a slow burn that cultivates a genuinely creepy atmosphere and keeps you guessing right up to the end, give this a watch.

It starts with two women in the desert who are escaping a cult, which I'm sure the makers' lawyers will assure us is in no way inspired by Scientology. We learn their story in bits and pieces, but it's also clear that their memories are not entirely reliable.

This is definitely a "less is more" movie, and they do a lot with a very low budget, few actors, and almost no sets. Maybe a little slow in the middle, but definitely pays off at the end.

I would really love to see more like this.

Great Psychological Thriller

[seanmwathen · 10/10 · 1 May 2022]

I seriously enjoyed this film. Very impressive. A great psychological character piece with a fantastic, creeping terror that builds & builds. It is a deliberately paced story, so stick with it! It's a smarter thriller than most. The film and characters descend into a madness that is realistic in its gait. I'm not sure if the film went over the heads of some of the other reviewers, but this is an intelligent thriller that pays off in a satisfying way.

Don't watch this film if you like movies that clearly explain things

[mailbox993 · 9/10 · 3 May 2024]

This film is a psychological thriller. As such, everything is not laid out neatly for the viewer. You will be left to figure out a few things on your own. If that doesn't sound appealing then you shouldn't watch this film. There's far more to this movie than two people screaming at each other in the desert, as some reviewers have written. I've rated over 500 movies on IMDb. This is the most underrated film I've come across. For best viewing, watch it without any preconceived ideas based around Hollywood formulas. If you're as much of a fan of psychological thrillers as I am, you won't be disappointed.