Not much of horror as I had hoped. It is heavy on drama but it was quite interesting how the story was developed. There was a sort of filter on the film too, giving it a video game feel.
39 Reviews
Interesting storytelling format
adeleysim12 January 2019
I guess I am not the demographic...it made me angry.
purplehayes769 October 2015
I will admit upfront, this film left a really horrible taste in my mouth.
So much so that it even soured my feelings towards Nerdist and Chris Hardwick.
I know his M.O. is to be very positive about everything, and upbeat. But this movie just wasn't good.
If you are giving it a HUGE pass because it is low-budget, maybe you could forgive it some of its mistakes.
I was ready to walk out after 10 minutes because of a sound design element that was quite literally painful. From Bravest Warriors: "It's like making Oatmeal cry..." Catbug:"Why would you do that?" Why would you hurt your audience? That is lazy filmmaking.
All of the characters were unlikeable bullies. I rooted for no one and wanted them all to die.
The visual design was for stylistic purposes and actually violated filmic grammar in ways I just could not forgive.
Blacklight? Why? Totally non-diegetic, which is fine, but could not forgive it especially compared to other issues.
Oh, let me do First Person POV shots as Over-The-Shoulder shots, SOMETIMES. Why? I'm confused.
Let me have blinking lights/strobe effect FOR NO REASON, other than to make the shot painful to look at. Thanks.
The love story didn't really work for me either. There was ONE SCENE where it was almost poignant (the one with the strobe lights), but I didn't even want to watch it because the cinematography was so annoying.
Nor did I find the gore effects particularly interesting either.
I didn't like the movie. I didn't enjoy watching it. I didn't like the score (which was also a major selling point of the film).
It was all over the place. And there there was weird unnecessarily sexualized slut-shaming/emasculation dialogue that I also did not like at all.
The whole big social networking allegory was also not very strong or sold well in the movie itself. You get that more from reading critique on it than what you can actually see in the film text itself.
Maybe I am too old.
I love genre movies. I love the surprise little indies.
But I was sitting in my seat fuming, just waiting for it to end. I felt lied to by the Nerdist stamp of approval.
To me it is totally skippable. Unless you are OK with starting a movie that it is OK to shut off before you finish.
So much so that it even soured my feelings towards Nerdist and Chris Hardwick.
I know his M.O. is to be very positive about everything, and upbeat. But this movie just wasn't good.
If you are giving it a HUGE pass because it is low-budget, maybe you could forgive it some of its mistakes.
I was ready to walk out after 10 minutes because of a sound design element that was quite literally painful. From Bravest Warriors: "It's like making Oatmeal cry..." Catbug:"Why would you do that?" Why would you hurt your audience? That is lazy filmmaking.
All of the characters were unlikeable bullies. I rooted for no one and wanted them all to die.
The visual design was for stylistic purposes and actually violated filmic grammar in ways I just could not forgive.
Blacklight? Why? Totally non-diegetic, which is fine, but could not forgive it especially compared to other issues.
Oh, let me do First Person POV shots as Over-The-Shoulder shots, SOMETIMES. Why? I'm confused.
Let me have blinking lights/strobe effect FOR NO REASON, other than to make the shot painful to look at. Thanks.
The love story didn't really work for me either. There was ONE SCENE where it was almost poignant (the one with the strobe lights), but I didn't even want to watch it because the cinematography was so annoying.
Nor did I find the gore effects particularly interesting either.
I didn't like the movie. I didn't enjoy watching it. I didn't like the score (which was also a major selling point of the film).
It was all over the place. And there there was weird unnecessarily sexualized slut-shaming/emasculation dialogue that I also did not like at all.
The whole big social networking allegory was also not very strong or sold well in the movie itself. You get that more from reading critique on it than what you can actually see in the film text itself.
Maybe I am too old.
I love genre movies. I love the surprise little indies.
But I was sitting in my seat fuming, just waiting for it to end. I felt lied to by the Nerdist stamp of approval.
To me it is totally skippable. Unless you are OK with starting a movie that it is OK to shut off before you finish.
The movie had potential, but ended up as a less than mediocre result...
paul_haakonsen17 May 2019
Right, well I gave "The Hive" a chance without knowing what it was, aside from it being a horror movie and having an interesting movie cover.
Turns out that director David Yarovesky didn't really tickle me in the right places with this 2014 movie. It was watchable for sure, but it was hardly an entertaining movie or a movie that I felt myself delving into as things progressed on the screen.
I will say that the special effects and the atmosphere portrayed and used in the movie were good, and they carried the movie quite the distance, because the movie was suffering from an inadequate script and plot.
The acting in the movie was fairly adequate, taking into consideration the anchor the actors and actresses had around their feet in terms of a lack of proper storyline and script. I enjoy watching a movie where the performers are unfamiliar faces, so that at least worked in favor of the movie.
I managed to sit through "The Hive" to the end, but I can't claim to have been thoroughly entertained by what I was watching. The movie is definitely watchable, but not an outstanding movie in the horror genre.
For me, at least, "The Hive" is a movie that came and went without leaving a dent or impression in anything. Actually so much that it wasn't before 5 years later after the movie was released that I came to know about it - and that was by sheer random luck. This is not a movie that warrants a second viewing by any means, because the movie just lacked the contents to support that.
Turns out that director David Yarovesky didn't really tickle me in the right places with this 2014 movie. It was watchable for sure, but it was hardly an entertaining movie or a movie that I felt myself delving into as things progressed on the screen.
I will say that the special effects and the atmosphere portrayed and used in the movie were good, and they carried the movie quite the distance, because the movie was suffering from an inadequate script and plot.
The acting in the movie was fairly adequate, taking into consideration the anchor the actors and actresses had around their feet in terms of a lack of proper storyline and script. I enjoy watching a movie where the performers are unfamiliar faces, so that at least worked in favor of the movie.
I managed to sit through "The Hive" to the end, but I can't claim to have been thoroughly entertained by what I was watching. The movie is definitely watchable, but not an outstanding movie in the horror genre.
For me, at least, "The Hive" is a movie that came and went without leaving a dent or impression in anything. Actually so much that it wasn't before 5 years later after the movie was released that I came to know about it - and that was by sheer random luck. This is not a movie that warrants a second viewing by any means, because the movie just lacked the contents to support that.
Felt Like A Sloppy MTV Pilot
HorrorOverEverything29 September 2015
I'm actually surprised that MTV had nothing to do with this film because it had MTV written all over it. Cast of beautiful people, poor dialogue, and a cheesy love story. Right from the get go this felt like the first episode to a really bad MTV series (not that any of them are good). I stuck with it because I hate to judge a movie without seeing it to the end, but I am kind of regretting that now.
So the film is centered on a picture perfect teenage boy who wakes up in a blood soaked cabin and tries to recall what exactly happened. The story is told through poorly done flashbacks that try to move as fast as possible. That's one of my big problems with this, the pace of the film is actually too fast. They try to rush everything along in order to hold the audience's attention but really all it did for me is make me lose interest in what was going on. I didn't establish any kind of connection with the characters or the story because the fast pacing just made everything feel really cheesy and cheap.
Maybe I'm not the perfect person to be reviewing this movie, I am not a teenager and I feel like the is that main demographic that this film was going after. The cheesy romance and the lame jokes just fell flat on me but those are things that the MTV audience will probably enjoy. For me though I thought this was a pretty terrible film, after an hour of it I was really eager for it to just end. Other than some decent gore I really don't have many good things to say, wouldn't recommend it unless you are a fan of MTV type stuff.
3/10
So the film is centered on a picture perfect teenage boy who wakes up in a blood soaked cabin and tries to recall what exactly happened. The story is told through poorly done flashbacks that try to move as fast as possible. That's one of my big problems with this, the pace of the film is actually too fast. They try to rush everything along in order to hold the audience's attention but really all it did for me is make me lose interest in what was going on. I didn't establish any kind of connection with the characters or the story because the fast pacing just made everything feel really cheesy and cheap.
Maybe I'm not the perfect person to be reviewing this movie, I am not a teenager and I feel like the is that main demographic that this film was going after. The cheesy romance and the lame jokes just fell flat on me but those are things that the MTV audience will probably enjoy. For me though I thought this was a pretty terrible film, after an hour of it I was really eager for it to just end. Other than some decent gore I really don't have many good things to say, wouldn't recommend it unless you are a fan of MTV type stuff.
3/10
Don't Bother
the_nephilim7128 February 2019
Good idea but poor execution.
deloudelouvain9 January 2020
The story itself had potential, interesting enough to make an entertaining horror movie, but the execution could and should have been much better. Now there was just too much back and forth storytelling what made it a bit confusing instead of suspenseful. Gabriel Basso is also not really an actor for a horror movie, his facial expressions just don't do it. I didn't enjoy his acting to be honest, like waking up clueless with a dead body of a girl next to him and the only expression he thought would be good is sitting there with a smile trying to make a lousy joke. That's not what I'm expecting from a horror movie, that kind of sloppy details. As for the horror or special effects it was a bit low budget as well, just some black facial smear that didn't look very good. The story could have been good though, the idea is there, no denial about that, but they missed the opportunity to make it good.
Many layers to peel off in this gem
jackmeat3 October 2015
My quick rating - 6,6/10. I was completely surprised by this movie (especially after reading a review or two). This was a very well crafted film, almost to the point that I think the creators may have overshot their original idea in the process. At one point it was almost like a "Holy smokes, we could do this now...." moment and the story shifted. I can't say for sure that happened since I have nothing to do with the flick, but check it out yourself. The acting was done well, for this type of film since 3/4 of the time, they had to be possessed and spit out tar lol. The makeup was done well since they all were coated in fluids almost throughout the film. I guess letting you know that a young adult wakes with complete amnesia locked in a room and must figure out what happens and why via notes left by himself? and also flashbacks he has. This involves paying attention to the movie or you will get lost since this is filmed in a music video style (or normal terms, no camera shot lasts more then 10 seconds). I think somewhere hidden in here was a deeper message that should be sorted out for each viewer. Overall, I see a very unheard of flick that flies in under the radar and should be given some serious attention. David Yarovsky has created a very deep film and I look forward to more of his work.
An ambitious dumpster fire
j-nickturner15 April 2020
Takes itself way too serious and thinks its "deep." It's like if Memento was directed by Jaden Smith. Or maybe a juggalo.
Really cool core concept, but abysmal execution on all fronts. Acting, plot points, dialogue, character development, cinematography.... Oof so bad.
But it ends up being a decent unintentional comedy. It's like watching a neon dumpster fire.
Really cool core concept, but abysmal execution on all fronts. Acting, plot points, dialogue, character development, cinematography.... Oof so bad.
But it ends up being a decent unintentional comedy. It's like watching a neon dumpster fire.
I gave it a chance..and it was well worth it.
hiryu_rhys2 October 2015
I will say that I enjoyed this movie. Now I know there were some things in the movie I didn't believe completely meshed well and some scenes weren't explained well enough for me but overall I think they did a really good job.
Went in this movie thinking that it could be a host of many clichéd themes and I should be prepared to drop it at the half way mark in the movie. After the 30 minute mark I can say that the movie had me at a point where I needed to watch it till the end. Now the ending was not as exciting as I hoped for but at least it gave me some type of finality.
Now I know my review wasn't very descriptive on the storyline or the characters but I will say this, try to avoid any reviews that give anything away. The movie is much better when you have no clue on what's going on from the very beginning.
Went in this movie thinking that it could be a host of many clichéd themes and I should be prepared to drop it at the half way mark in the movie. After the 30 minute mark I can say that the movie had me at a point where I needed to watch it till the end. Now the ending was not as exciting as I hoped for but at least it gave me some type of finality.
Now I know my review wasn't very descriptive on the storyline or the characters but I will say this, try to avoid any reviews that give anything away. The movie is much better when you have no clue on what's going on from the very beginning.
Tries to be different... Too many Cooks in the Kitchen
jandrika27 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Sadly the film is a jumbled mess from the get go. Starting out like a typical Summer camp film it veers into abstract territory. The problem is the annoying jarring flashbacks take up about 85% of the movie! The most disappointing aspect is the "threat" against the main characters. It really isn't scary enough. People covered in Tar and Slime mumbling isn't threatening when you can suffocate them or punch them out. Instead of a Zombie etc. outbreak they are basically collectively held hostage by some black goop conciousness that was man made in a Lab. Flashing back to a shady organization where a Dr. accidentally released the goop by the Camp via a crashed Plane. (Why steal a Plane at all??) In what could've been explained in 5 minutes takes the majority of the runtime in snippets. Our main character has Amnesia and doesn't understand what's going on... So he plays with Chalk awhile trying to focus. But he can zero in on anyone in the "Hive's" collected conciousness... so he enjoys watching a girl wash herself in a Shower... very useful. He suffocates his Girlfriend but taps into to bringing her back to life via electricity. (She surely wouldn't br dead after 27 minutes of being suffocated... )
Fast forward to a few scant characters dying. (Where are the rest of the Campers or Staff??) And the movie basically ends. A waste of a long 85 minutes. Had the movie had a more concrete threat and was told in a more linear way with a satisfying conclusion the movie would've been watchable. I liked the two main actors and really wanted to like the film.
Sympathetic horror that succeeds in full effectiveness.
InDyingArms1 October 2015
If looked deeper, and thought more than what was displayed on the screen, the story will appeal to it's true execution of what is a deeply sympathetic horror film, manipulating genre elements into something even more, something even more meaningful than displayed. "The Hive" is a movie, if taken seriously, that'll move, and affect the audience in a massive way.
The movie starts out with an extremely unique plot, of which involves heavily on flashbacks, memory, as well as the past of which is all explained in a well manor in the film. We follow the story of four friends of which were once counseling a children's camp, only to soon fall into impending doom as a horrid virus plagues humanity, hitting a wave of horror to these characters. It may sound typical, or clichéd in this case. But the film, above, and beyond succeeded in making a semi-predictable plot into something even greater than it was set out to be. The story manages to journey audiences into an awaiting line of unique, gripping twists, and storyline. The film also manages to keep all these ideas wrapped around a thrilling chain of events of which revolve around these characters. The story unravels, uncovering more, and more events of which tells us, the audience of what our given characters are really capable of, what they can manipulate, how they wrap their head around events, etc. The characters we are given are actually quite interesting. At first, what seems to be another typical bunch of cliché characters, turns into something extremely pleasant, unique, and refreshing. We are given characters with common sense, characters that manage to win over the audiences' care; The feeling of actually caring for what happens to the characters. Finally, on the note, the film manages to give the characters well, clever personality twists, turning them into characters that could've been clichéd, into something much, much more pleasant. Finally. The design, and scares of these creatures, of which were afflicted with said virus aren't your typical, overly clichéd zombies. Instead we get more pleasant surprises with said afflicted creatures possessing interesting behavior, and shocking appearance, delivering an interest to their presence, while giving the audience a sense of fright at the sight, effective, at the same time amazingly captivating.
In conclusion, this movie was a huge eye-opener. It manages to feed the audience an entertaining, thrilling, sympathetic, and meaningful horror story of which succeeds in it's effectiveness. It manages to keep a well story, of which takes turns, and unfolds into an even bigger, more interesting story than what we thought we were actually in for, offering more, and more entertaining surprises. At the same time, it manages to keep a scary-like appearance with it's visual infection - themed effects, at the same time giving a well story that captivates. Overall, this movie, IF given a chance, with thought regarding what was given, you will enjoy this movie for what it stood out to be - a unique experience that'll entertain for sure.
The movie starts out with an extremely unique plot, of which involves heavily on flashbacks, memory, as well as the past of which is all explained in a well manor in the film. We follow the story of four friends of which were once counseling a children's camp, only to soon fall into impending doom as a horrid virus plagues humanity, hitting a wave of horror to these characters. It may sound typical, or clichéd in this case. But the film, above, and beyond succeeded in making a semi-predictable plot into something even greater than it was set out to be. The story manages to journey audiences into an awaiting line of unique, gripping twists, and storyline. The film also manages to keep all these ideas wrapped around a thrilling chain of events of which revolve around these characters. The story unravels, uncovering more, and more events of which tells us, the audience of what our given characters are really capable of, what they can manipulate, how they wrap their head around events, etc. The characters we are given are actually quite interesting. At first, what seems to be another typical bunch of cliché characters, turns into something extremely pleasant, unique, and refreshing. We are given characters with common sense, characters that manage to win over the audiences' care; The feeling of actually caring for what happens to the characters. Finally, on the note, the film manages to give the characters well, clever personality twists, turning them into characters that could've been clichéd, into something much, much more pleasant. Finally. The design, and scares of these creatures, of which were afflicted with said virus aren't your typical, overly clichéd zombies. Instead we get more pleasant surprises with said afflicted creatures possessing interesting behavior, and shocking appearance, delivering an interest to their presence, while giving the audience a sense of fright at the sight, effective, at the same time amazingly captivating.
In conclusion, this movie was a huge eye-opener. It manages to feed the audience an entertaining, thrilling, sympathetic, and meaningful horror story of which succeeds in it's effectiveness. It manages to keep a well story, of which takes turns, and unfolds into an even bigger, more interesting story than what we thought we were actually in for, offering more, and more entertaining surprises. At the same time, it manages to keep a scary-like appearance with it's visual infection - themed effects, at the same time giving a well story that captivates. Overall, this movie, IF given a chance, with thought regarding what was given, you will enjoy this movie for what it stood out to be - a unique experience that'll entertain for sure.
A concept more interesting then the film is allowed to be.
cfcurrie15 September 2015
The Hive is a solid blend of horror norms wrapped around a central theme of loss of identity. Set in a slasher film's summer camp cliché, what the producers of The Hive want you to believe is that you're here to see a zombie film. In reality, this is an interesting take on the Invasion of the Body Snatchers trope, told with a Memento-style narrative of interwoven flashbacks as our protagonists (and "others") memories return. The events leading to the amnesia are an important plot point, and the flashbacks become multi- faceted as the story fleshes out.
The Hive is advertised as shot in "Vine-Style" with no single shot lasting more than ten seconds. The conscious decision to edit the film this way seems inconsequential for the majority of the film, but when combined with the flashbacks, we do slip into short periods of incoherency. More distressing is early on, as Adam (Gabriel Basso) is being introduced. Alone and without memories, the director uses a series of rapid jump cuts to convey his leads anger and frustration, which is simply distracting to the viewer. The editing choices also mean we never linger on a particular image, which is a shame because certain moments have great framing and make perfect use of the high contrast.
Due to the direction, Basso does not convey a strong lead in the weak first act of the film, but he is type-cast well. David Yarovesky recovers from these initial stumbles, showing his strongest instincts lie in the teen romance scenes. Adams chemistry with Katie (Kathryn Prescott) starts to turn things around, and as the film progresses he becomes a more believable character. Jacob Zachar is not given a well conceived character arc, but none the less has an excellent turn as Clark. Prescott remains a charming presence throughout, even in the more tense moments. The secondary cast all put in solid horror movie performances, with only Gabrielle Walsh treading hammy.
The production values, while misguided and heavy handed at times, are strong. The film is heavily filtered, so natural lighting is never neutral and the the majority of the interior cabin shots make full use of exploiting blacklights to give a distinct look to the films present time frame. The general aesthetics will be instantly recognizable to anyone who has spent any time with the famed Call of Duty: Nazi Zombies video game. You might question the speed in which the main cabin deteriorates, as well as the extremes in which the children's cabin has been effected later in the movie. These set choices are seemingly to promote atmosphere but mostly miss.
What does promote the atmosphere is the music, easily the strongest aspect of The Hive and yet still not without flaw. The rather well shot scene of Adam and Katie in the clinic is adversely affected by the soundtrack, but the moments of tension and horror are perfectly scored. The use of Steve Aoki's tracks are fitting and complimenting.
After a summer season that included Unfriended, The Gallows and The Poltergeist remake, as well as sharing theater retail space with The Visit, The Hive is certainly an above-board film to the horror fetishist. It hangs hope on its high concept of loss of identity to stick with you after the credits roll, while limiting the jump scares and turning up the gross out factor with vomiting. The story is intriguing, and the flashbacks of the scientists involved in creating this situation particularly strong. It has weak direction and contrived narrative devices in play, but it is well worth the watch and certainly more deserving of wide release.
The Hive is advertised as shot in "Vine-Style" with no single shot lasting more than ten seconds. The conscious decision to edit the film this way seems inconsequential for the majority of the film, but when combined with the flashbacks, we do slip into short periods of incoherency. More distressing is early on, as Adam (Gabriel Basso) is being introduced. Alone and without memories, the director uses a series of rapid jump cuts to convey his leads anger and frustration, which is simply distracting to the viewer. The editing choices also mean we never linger on a particular image, which is a shame because certain moments have great framing and make perfect use of the high contrast.
Due to the direction, Basso does not convey a strong lead in the weak first act of the film, but he is type-cast well. David Yarovesky recovers from these initial stumbles, showing his strongest instincts lie in the teen romance scenes. Adams chemistry with Katie (Kathryn Prescott) starts to turn things around, and as the film progresses he becomes a more believable character. Jacob Zachar is not given a well conceived character arc, but none the less has an excellent turn as Clark. Prescott remains a charming presence throughout, even in the more tense moments. The secondary cast all put in solid horror movie performances, with only Gabrielle Walsh treading hammy.
The production values, while misguided and heavy handed at times, are strong. The film is heavily filtered, so natural lighting is never neutral and the the majority of the interior cabin shots make full use of exploiting blacklights to give a distinct look to the films present time frame. The general aesthetics will be instantly recognizable to anyone who has spent any time with the famed Call of Duty: Nazi Zombies video game. You might question the speed in which the main cabin deteriorates, as well as the extremes in which the children's cabin has been effected later in the movie. These set choices are seemingly to promote atmosphere but mostly miss.
What does promote the atmosphere is the music, easily the strongest aspect of The Hive and yet still not without flaw. The rather well shot scene of Adam and Katie in the clinic is adversely affected by the soundtrack, but the moments of tension and horror are perfectly scored. The use of Steve Aoki's tracks are fitting and complimenting.
After a summer season that included Unfriended, The Gallows and The Poltergeist remake, as well as sharing theater retail space with The Visit, The Hive is certainly an above-board film to the horror fetishist. It hangs hope on its high concept of loss of identity to stick with you after the credits roll, while limiting the jump scares and turning up the gross out factor with vomiting. The story is intriguing, and the flashbacks of the scientists involved in creating this situation particularly strong. It has weak direction and contrived narrative devices in play, but it is well worth the watch and certainly more deserving of wide release.
Okay sorta horror
foxtrotmarie10 February 2019
It was okay. It had amazing music, a neat enough idea that wasn't really explained much, plenty of gore, great feel. But it was rushed, often cheesy, and left a lot of questions. Gets real teen campy love story pretty often, and you are going to get lost trying to figure out what 'they,' are really after or keeping up with the timeline.
A complete mess .....
bfp1310827 May 2020
Bi-polar horror sci-fi on acid.
Seth_Rogue_One1 June 2016
At times this movie shines and gains interest and even get emotionally effective but other times it gets rather frustrating to watch.
It's really hard to talk about the plot because for one it's kind of hard to explain it with it being so all over the place and you kind of need to spoil the whole movie if you do an attempt so I won't do that.
It jumps back and forth in time a lot and at very random times so if you don't like confusing movies then it's probably easy to get lost and lose patience with it.
Rather original at least, I'll give it that and yes occasionally pretty good.
Still in the end I can't give it more than a 5, which for me means that while I don't necessarily recommend it I'm not gonna tell people to avoid it, especially if they are horror or sci-fi buffs.
But proceed with caution I suppose, and a healthy dose of patience as this movie will require it.
It's really hard to talk about the plot because for one it's kind of hard to explain it with it being so all over the place and you kind of need to spoil the whole movie if you do an attempt so I won't do that.
It jumps back and forth in time a lot and at very random times so if you don't like confusing movies then it's probably easy to get lost and lose patience with it.
Rather original at least, I'll give it that and yes occasionally pretty good.
Still in the end I can't give it more than a 5, which for me means that while I don't necessarily recommend it I'm not gonna tell people to avoid it, especially if they are horror or sci-fi buffs.
But proceed with caution I suppose, and a healthy dose of patience as this movie will require it.
Terrible movie...Tweeny Torture...
AndyVanScoyoc1 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
HOW old were the "kids" in this film...twelve? That's what it felt like...watching a bunch of pre-middle school kids trying to act grown before their time and failing miserably at it.
I wanted ALL the characters to die...really...I've rarely been so irritated by immature acting.
Maybe I'm just old and square.
Disappointing because the concept was quite new and different and Elya Baskin is always a pleasure to watch.
Not sure what direction this movie was trying to go in, but the immature conveyances they chose (disguised as hip teens) left a LOT to be desired.
Pass this movie by...do yourself a favor.
I wanted ALL the characters to die...really...I've rarely been so irritated by immature acting.
Maybe I'm just old and square.
Disappointing because the concept was quite new and different and Elya Baskin is always a pleasure to watch.
Not sure what direction this movie was trying to go in, but the immature conveyances they chose (disguised as hip teens) left a LOT to be desired.
Pass this movie by...do yourself a favor.
The Hive-a Jackson Pollock painting on caffeine IV
getconedproductions0914 February 2019
The Hive
Directed by David Yarovesky. Written by David Yarovesky and Will Honley
Sometimes Fathom events will have a one night only screening of some independent movie usually of the horror variety. These movies have fascinated me every time I see them. I wonder how they get picked. What makes Primal Rage, The Hive and The Final Wish eligible for inclusion? Fathom events are usually special events and therefore cost more than an average movie. Very few people would take a chance like that. So naturally my curiosity is piqued.
So what makes The Hive, a little low budget movie about a virus that turns people into mindless black tar spewing monsters infecting a summer camp, eligible for inclusion for the Fathom events? I think it being produced by Nerdist might have something to do with it. They haven't produced a movie before or haven't produced a movie since. It is an interesting idea for a horror movie. A virus that forces people in the grisly way possible to be connected all at once. They can see what the others see, they can feel what they feel and you find out exactly how they use that and you can recall memories from the others infected. Visually this movie is like a Jackson Pollock painting riddled with caffeine pills on an empty stomach. It uses black light to a good effect. It uses the black blood and the gnarly veins to good effect. The color scheme to the movie makes it stand out among other low budget horror movies. It looks visually stunning. It doesn't look cheap. That's the big difference between something like this and Scream Park. Scream Park was not able to utlitize what it had to make things more cinematic. The Hive is able to do that.
The effects as mentioned are terrific. It's gruesome but unappealing. The color scheme works well with making things stand out and capture your attention. I was on board with the hive mind lunacy. The thing I felt lacked and brought this movie down some was the relationship between the protagonist and his best friend and love interest. I'm sure they have names but I can't remember them. The hero is a womanizing douchebag bedding down as many of the girls in camp as he possibly can. He tries these very same tricks with Jessie(I think that is her name but honestly I have no clue). She shuts him down because she knows all about the way he operates. He tries to profess his love. She is having none of this. We now have our character arc. Of course his best friend has feelings for a girl who his friend beds. He takes this personally. We have this soap opera bit going on amongst the disease and grue. It doesn't work. The music is telling me that it should work but it simply doesn't.
This is not a bad film. It is enjoyable and I dug what it was trying to do. It is not scary. It tries to be with its jump scares. It is visually insane and it makes up for its low budget with its camera work and great make up work. I give this movie a B.
Sometimes Fathom events will have a one night only screening of some independent movie usually of the horror variety. These movies have fascinated me every time I see them. I wonder how they get picked. What makes Primal Rage, The Hive and The Final Wish eligible for inclusion? Fathom events are usually special events and therefore cost more than an average movie. Very few people would take a chance like that. So naturally my curiosity is piqued.
So what makes The Hive, a little low budget movie about a virus that turns people into mindless black tar spewing monsters infecting a summer camp, eligible for inclusion for the Fathom events? I think it being produced by Nerdist might have something to do with it. They haven't produced a movie before or haven't produced a movie since. It is an interesting idea for a horror movie. A virus that forces people in the grisly way possible to be connected all at once. They can see what the others see, they can feel what they feel and you find out exactly how they use that and you can recall memories from the others infected. Visually this movie is like a Jackson Pollock painting riddled with caffeine pills on an empty stomach. It uses black light to a good effect. It uses the black blood and the gnarly veins to good effect. The color scheme to the movie makes it stand out among other low budget horror movies. It looks visually stunning. It doesn't look cheap. That's the big difference between something like this and Scream Park. Scream Park was not able to utlitize what it had to make things more cinematic. The Hive is able to do that.
The effects as mentioned are terrific. It's gruesome but unappealing. The color scheme works well with making things stand out and capture your attention. I was on board with the hive mind lunacy. The thing I felt lacked and brought this movie down some was the relationship between the protagonist and his best friend and love interest. I'm sure they have names but I can't remember them. The hero is a womanizing douchebag bedding down as many of the girls in camp as he possibly can. He tries these very same tricks with Jessie(I think that is her name but honestly I have no clue). She shuts him down because she knows all about the way he operates. He tries to profess his love. She is having none of this. We now have our character arc. Of course his best friend has feelings for a girl who his friend beds. He takes this personally. We have this soap opera bit going on amongst the disease and grue. It doesn't work. The music is telling me that it should work but it simply doesn't.
This is not a bad film. It is enjoyable and I dug what it was trying to do. It is not scary. It tries to be with its jump scares. It is visually insane and it makes up for its low budget with its camera work and great make up work. I give this movie a B.
Would have been interesting if it was written better.
frankblack-7996127 December 2020
This film is a hot mess of different elements. Coupled with idiot characters and incoherent flashbacks, this rather interesting premise gets lost in what I felt was a uninteresting final product. Needs to be remade by people that can properly format this kind of tale.
Telepathy, Dybbuks, Zombies
Pairic10 May 2018
Warning: Spoilers
The Hive: Adam wakes, confused, suffering from amnesia. He has some infection but his girlfriend, Katie, is in a far worse state. Ala Memento he finds cryptic information written on walls. Through flashbacks he remembers how he, Katie, Jess and Clark (summer camp counselors) saw a plane crash.. Reaching the scene they are attack by a zombiesque survivor.
Fleeing their car crashes and Jess is infected by the survivor (he vomits a black liquid on her). She speaks in other voices, appears to have multiple personalities. Adam also has flashbacks of being in other bodies, of participating in Soviet mind science experiments carried out through viral infection of unwilling human subjects, then of similar US experiments.
Telepathy, Dybbuks, Zombies and Mengelesque human experimentation meld in this harrowing SF/Horror thriller. 7/10
Fleeing their car crashes and Jess is infected by the survivor (he vomits a black liquid on her). She speaks in other voices, appears to have multiple personalities. Adam also has flashbacks of being in other bodies, of participating in Soviet mind science experiments carried out through viral infection of unwilling human subjects, then of similar US experiments.
Telepathy, Dybbuks, Zombies and Mengelesque human experimentation meld in this harrowing SF/Horror thriller. 7/10
The Hive review
JoeytheBrit11 May 2020
Imaginative & Effective Horror
DanLives198014 February 2016
I tend not to look for horror films anymore. Call me jaded but I grew up in the '80s. By the time I turned twenty there was nothing I hadn't seen, whether it was done well or badly. CGI ruined the rest! But the past few years has seen a resurgence in excellently crafted and executed horror films and The Hive is the latest that I must rank so highly. I believe this to be one of the best of the decade.
Don't think zombies when you see the trailer. Think Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Evil Dead. Don't think tweeny love story like it was marketed. Although it has those elements, and they are a driving force, they're done well and quite maturely.
This is one of those movies that wades neck deep in the kind of horror that gave you nightmares as a kid and yet it also has the intelligence of Christopher Nolan's Memento, yet with a dash of Friday 13th and the late '90s Liev Schreiber sci-fi horror Phantoms.
I had very few hang-ups, going in with zero expectations, and left with zero hang-ups, all but for the choice in music at the end credits and the slightly cliché end narration.
The rest, from beginning to end, is an exercise in creepy, suspenseful, horror with a mind of its own; and possibly a secret subtext with a message about our modern society.
That dormitory scene later on...
Don't think zombies when you see the trailer. Think Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Evil Dead. Don't think tweeny love story like it was marketed. Although it has those elements, and they are a driving force, they're done well and quite maturely.
This is one of those movies that wades neck deep in the kind of horror that gave you nightmares as a kid and yet it also has the intelligence of Christopher Nolan's Memento, yet with a dash of Friday 13th and the late '90s Liev Schreiber sci-fi horror Phantoms.
I had very few hang-ups, going in with zero expectations, and left with zero hang-ups, all but for the choice in music at the end credits and the slightly cliché end narration.
The rest, from beginning to end, is an exercise in creepy, suspenseful, horror with a mind of its own; and possibly a secret subtext with a message about our modern society.
That dormitory scene later on...
Actually, quite good
dminton-4683029 January 2019
For being an isolated out of the way minimal actors movie.
It was really well thought out and well done and tied together. Not something that happens in a lot of movies.
Ok,the black barf isn't all that great. But the idea & execution of it. I'd like to know who that was to was more
It was really well thought out and well done and tied together. Not something that happens in a lot of movies.
Ok,the black barf isn't all that great. But the idea & execution of it. I'd like to know who that was to was more
Marmite of horror movie's
reverendsteven31 December 2018
Surprisingly Good
yotamfreyman4 December 2015
It is actually about Communism. It is just that victims quantities, speed of the spread and resilience to the treatment are slightly diminished in the movie compared to the "red virus". The real life disease is much more complicated and horrible. But it is true that the only cure is death. And even though there are some people that after the encounter with communism understand that it must be stopped by any means, there are always some patriots that think they can contain it and control it. Exactly like in the movie. Yeah, yeah, collective mind and shet, how great can it be... worth watching!=] and in the end a great soundtrack. don't miss it.
Full-Tilt Zombie Horror Heroin!
jsjoeysawyer14 September 2015
I was lucky enough to see this film during its one-night Fathom event and couldn't be happier that I got a chance to experience it on the big screen. This is the type of film that benefits from having large, booming speakers to enhance its awesome visuals. The Hive is the reason people love low-budget horror, proving again and again that talent is more important than a large budget.
I will not review any plot details as I think this is the type of film that benefits from the viewer going in blind. If you are looking for a film that both honors the horror/zombie genre but isn't afraid to throw out some new ideas, this is pure, adrenaline-pumping ecstasy. Bloody, gruesome, and often slightly silly, this little film will give genre fans happy little nightmares.
Awesome! Check it out!
I will not review any plot details as I think this is the type of film that benefits from the viewer going in blind. If you are looking for a film that both honors the horror/zombie genre but isn't afraid to throw out some new ideas, this is pure, adrenaline-pumping ecstasy. Bloody, gruesome, and often slightly silly, this little film will give genre fans happy little nightmares.
Awesome! Check it out!
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