Tangent Room (2017) User Reviews

Winds for a big punch that it never quite lands

[lemon_magic · 6/10 · 9 April 2019]

I went into "Tangent Room" with very few expectations - four (eventually five) actors in a room arguing about ideas is nothing new as a premise. But if it is done well, the premise can make for an interesting "Twilight Zone" experience, and that's almost always worth having.

And it starts out pretty well - the introduction of the characters is well done; the actors are interesting to watch; they can work a dialog-heavy script with crispness and verve; the central mystery driving the plot is reasonably Kafka-esque; and the swerve into paranoia and survival mode is delivered nicely.

There's even some nice "mood shots" of the star-filled night skies outside the observatory (where the characters supposedly are trapped) to give the viewer a break from all the claustrophobia.

So I can buy the premise - four scientists working with a mysterious string of numbers somehow deduce that reality is about to collapse, and then their efforts to arrive at a solution is hindered as reality starts to collapse around them.

But somewhere in the middle of an endless and annoying string of jump cuts and editing tricks, the screenplay overtaxes my patience and loses my interest, because apparently all the director really wanted to do was use the discontinuity film tricks from "Altered States" .

And the end resolution doesn't work. The scientists don't actually "do" anything that I can see once they discover the problem - it's their simple presence in the room and their unified will - and the will of their other-dimensional counterparts (NOT their brilliance) that saves reality. (So a bunch of plumbers,architects and ad execs who were sufficiently motivated, imaginative, and informed could have done the same thing).

There's a big concept to deliver, and the movie just doesn't have the moxie to do that in the space it has. (I'm not sure ANY movie on a scale less than "2001" or "The Matrix" could deliver on the idea).

So...even with few expectations, and not expecting anything more than a good "Twilight Zone" episode, I still felt let down.

But it wasn't a bad way to spend an hour plus, and I enjoyed watching the actors work their craft and build the mystery in the opening minutes.

Low budget indie film doesn't make up for it's lack of substance with style

[drael64 · 5/10 · 7 March 2019]

Tantalizing premise that could make played out in many ways, but the ending doesn't either fit science, or the entire bulk of the plotline.

Hilarious.

[pinksparkles-1 · 5/10 · 8 March 2019]

I was so confused, it was like I was watching team meetings at work when no one knows what's going on or what the other is talking about.

Ingenious but I genuinely don't know what's going on! My advice - watch it sober!

I'm off for a bubble bath!

Self-absorbed drivel

[Snootz · 3/10 · 9 March 2019]

I would attempt to call this the best of cerebral fiction, except it's not the best of anything.

This starts out as an interesting premise: four people have four hours to solve a problem or die (Cease to exist? Never existed? Always exist? WHO KNOWS?). The acting starts out reasonably well-done, but soon digresses into a mess of bad directing and poorly-executed unimpressive camera effects.

It's not a matter of "we don't get it". We get it fine-- and it spews. While the idea (which I won't state here-- spoilers) has an interesting foundation, the rest of the house is poorly constructed. The science is the worst of theoretical guessing, the math is nonsensical scribbles (at least, as far as the audience can tell), and the ending totally lacking in substance or sense (other than pure fantasy, which has no place in this supposedly pure-science production).

This is a sneezed boogar of a film that hit a wall and stuck, visibly for everyone to see. The concept had potential, but the execution was severely flawed. Suggestion: re-write, re-make, from start to finish, and next time make sense rather than throwing logic and sensibility out the submarine window.

Doesn't seem to take itself seriously

[agge_agent · 3/10 · 15 December 2019]

As someone who LOVES characters trapped in a room films, this one was unfortunately a complete disappointment.

While it's obviously a lower budget film, that does not preclude it from having the possibility of being brilliant!

It's not money that makes actors and a story brilliant, it's competent direction and a good script.

Something it was obvious from the start this film lacked.

Odd character interactions, awkward dialogue make this a very... annoying film to watch.

I eventually got the feeling that the people behind the camera did not take the story very seriously. Allowing characters to react (or rather, NOT react) appropriately, ruins the tone of the film and gives it an oddly humorous undertone.

NOT A SPOILER

The man in a very early scene has just heard some chocking news, and all he does is sit with his head balanced atop his clasped hands like an intrigued school boy.

The women on the other hand look appropriately scared/in denial/confused.

In fact, the only actor in the whole film who sold the film's story consistently when others faltered was Vee Vimolmal. She really carried everyone else!

In conclusion, without spoiling anything, whoever made this film tried to recreate Coherence (2013) with more science babble, without understanding that it's the character interactions that are truly important.

So I urge you all to watch Coherence instead.

It took me at least 3 viewings to keep track of all the multiple dimensions and characters. It is simply a far superior film and mystery. (As are the first 2 Cube films, if you're into people trapped together genre!)

Soooo bad

[djmathers · 1/10 · 9 March 2019]

Laughable. Awful movie. Acting was hillarious. Plot was like wtf. Budget was prob $1000. Seriously awful F Grade movie. JUST. TERRIBLE.

Maybe it was better in the other universe.

[gooterzau2 · 2/10 · 10 July 2020]

At least its short being only 66 minutes. No character development when one of them is shifted off into time space, you kinda hope you get someone else back.

Einstein would be laughing his butt off at this...

[contactmaz · 1/10 · 9 March 2019]

So they have 4 hours to save the universe, or actually, universes! Yeah, right! At 10:21 pm, they did it! They saved the universes, thank God. Nothing to do with tachyons or time travel because that's too far-fetched. Just good old numbers and a few equations and those amazing special effect tangent lines that flickered momentarily.

But yet again, thank God(s) - one for each of the 4 universes (I think) that they solved the problem at 10:21 pm!

Humble, Quiet, and Fit for Purpose

[junkmail-102 · 7/10 · 19 December 2022]

Another reviewer compared it to the Twilight Zone and I agree. This is a quick fairy tale about perception, the possibility of universal constants, and team formation among intelligent, driven individuals. I rewatched it with pleasure.

A script like this can either be a very inexpensive movie or a super-expensive stage play. The real strength of the Tangent Room is in its acting and understated presentation.

The story luckily didn't leave the characters blindly failing to understand what the audience already figured out. That would have been awful.

Instead, the characters wrestled with their own perceptions and gradually came together in an acknowledgment of the beauty of a universe described in pure math.

I will probably watch it a third time.

Brilliant stupidity

[MR-Katt · 1/10 · 24 March 2019]

For a bunch of scientists trapped in a room that they have many ways to leave it sure they are not that brilliant ,boring low budget movie with boring acting and script that offers nothing at all just total waste of time ,oh and that poster has nothing to do with the movie it's just some scientists sitting in a room and talking crap the whole movie ,that's it nothing more .

No, it's not trying to be 'Coherence'

[shackledmuse · 8/10 · 2 October 2020]

This film is actually brilliant, such a pity 90% of the people leaving reviews here don't understand it.

It's a very clever (if not entirely accurate) representation of cosmic bubble nucleation.

An ingenious film, that has rather more solid basis to it's premise than one might think

[mail-553-820891 · 7/10 · 27 December 2020]

The basis scenario is set out simply, 4 genius level scientists in different disciplines are set a problem by a deceased colleague to solve within a strict time limit. At first I thought it was a re-telling of the short story "Noise Level" by Raymond F Jones, and certainly it leaves the strong impression that it was originally intended to be so, beginning with the enforced isolation of the scientists and the scepticism shown by them to the situation and to the problem. However, it quickly deviates from that story and instead enters into a situation where it becomes clear that the scientists do not, and cannot possibly have, any control or understanding unless and until they solve the problem. Though the problem is one that cannot be shown cinematically without either great complexity or great simplicity (thankfully the directer went for the latter) it is one that is interesting. Is it worth watching? Yes, but be aware that the movie primarily consists of "talking heads" with a few simple special effects that you won't even notice at first, until they are made obvious to the viewer. More a thought experiment, but with a good cast able to hold your attention

A Pretty Gift Wrapped Box with Nothing Inside

[jonathanamichaels · 2/10 · 15 June 2019]

The concept of the film was interesting, so it isn't that the premise was bad, just poorly executed. I understand budget constraints of independent films such as this, but a mantra that is often used in this medium is "show don't tell." Through exposition we find out that the participants had to relinquish all of their personal items at the reception desk. This would have been an easy scene to film.

Perhaps the intention was to make the whole movie what takes place INSIDE the room and thus that is the only location we see our protagonists. However, the problem arises that the introduction has a character in another setting presumably sending out the invitations as well as several random establishing shots of hallways and different telescope observatories sprinkled throughout the movie. Also there are flashbacks experienced by each character so we already see them in environments other than the room.

Another example I felt could have been executed visually telling the story better was when two character compare notes. You literally watch them looking at their books for about five seconds without getting to see what they see. It isn't until they disagree about something that we get to see that one thing. We are show notes later in the film, why not at a time when that is the narrative focus?

There is also a lot of brooding on the part of the characters where we are to think they are deep in thought but, since we can't read there minds and there is no internal monologue or them 'thinking out loud,' we end up watching them silently pondering for several cumulative minutes.

The main issue I have with a lot of sci-fi films is that if you cannot explain the science to the audience in a logical way, then don't make abstract ideas like that your focus. All of the characters are the best in their field of studies and are scientists. Yet all we are given are equations that the audience isn't meant to understand and jumps in logic that don't have a catalyst to cause or justify them. Instead of explaining things away, there could have been things that the characters needed to physically do to avert the disaster, ways that they needed to implement the conclusions that they had come to. Instead, them just figuring out the solution was enough for the universe to be satisfied, no action necessary.

The story also had other strange tangents, lol, it went on. There is a random scene where the characters express different emotions but all of the do the exact same ones in sequence. So we see four people smiling, then frowning, then laughing, etc. The stated idea was to imply that they might lose their minds but it was unnecessary and probably just included to add to the run time.

I don't wish for the director to think that I hate his work, I don't. I just think there are better ways he could have conveyed the story to the audience and added meaningful danger for the characters to address and not just abstract ideas and a time limit. I hope that this filmmaker continues to make films and improve his craft. I did derive entertainment from it, so technically that is a success, but probably not for the reasons that he intended.

Face palm

[rewireslavedave · 4/10 · 6 March 2019]

Omg what am I still watching for..what the hack am I still watching for...oh my Lord why am I still watching this

Don't ever watch this film.

[abadbatman · 1/10 · 7 April 2021]

Brilliant idea let down by horrible writing, acting and direction.

It's a film you want to turn off hey early but don't because you want to see what happens, not because the film is riveting but the concept is intriguing.

Sadly though, it's trash.

It's a Twilight Zone episode that runs for 64 minutes.

[ed-503-465183 · 5/10 · 10 March 2021]

I'm cutting this one some slack. It's a micro-budget movie that jams in a little String Theory. I'm glad it was only 64 minutes. Frankly, I think they could have cut 4 minutes and made it an even hour. If you like the Twilight Zone, you might like this.

But don't expect to be knocked off your feet. This isn't another Primer. But again, it's a relatively short film, and judging from the set, effects, and script, your investment in time is probably about as big as the budget of this film.

I didn't like the end.

Absurd and idiotic at the same time. I loved it.

[KreamLeehan · 1/10 · 8 March 2019]

Hahahaha this movie was so absurd and idiotic that it was hilarious. I loved it. hahaha

At least it's not as bad as Captain Marvel

[shillshocked · 5/10 · 14 March 2019]

This is a tired old premise, and didn't work well in an indie film. The special effects were lame. They could have done this a lot better. Basically, it's a poor imitation of the Cube movie series.

Watchable. Cerebral. Low budget.

[jwbaumann · 6/10 · 15 October 2023]

Several logical questions I have.

WARNING! SPOILERS!

Why would the bubbles be colliding in THAT room?

If the bubbles are colliding at tremendous speed, why does the movie last over an hour?

Dr. Wahlstein's death seemed to be important as to why the geniuses were brought together, yet he is alive in the other bubbles. That's a non-trivial difference between bubbles. Basically, his death was a gimmick that had nothing to do with the story.

I assume the list of numbers helped Wahlstein determine *when* the bubbles would collide, but again, given the scale of the universe, how did he get it down to a single room and a 4 hour window of time? This is never explained. In fact, this glaring question is never even asked!

Why do people shift bubbles, but then toward the end it is the pads of paper on the table that are switching. That seems anti-climactic.

In the end, it appears that a cosmic lifeboat is created, not by any action of the participants, but simply because that is how the laws of physics worked in this sci-fi context. So ultimately the only "problem" they solved was understanding, sort of, what happened.

Basically, the ending was a cop-out.

Despite all that, the movie is worth watching, especially if you think of it as a Twilight Zone episode.

Really good little film. Why does it have such a low score

[lopezpatricia-06139 · 9/10 · 7 October 2020]

Crap reviews delayed me from watching this. But it's good, like any decent sci fi flick the whole film was based on real physics (their maths and theory's hemmed for film but) but the idea is what real physicists are theorising today! If you have no head for science you might not get it.

Kinda ok, spoiler alerts

[lawrencehobart · 7/10 · 19 March 2022]

I think you need a very curious mind and an interest in quantum science (I'm not saying you need to he a genius) to appreciate the movie. I think the ending absolutely should have shown us a glimpse of the new universe, rather than left it to our imaginations, for the sake of many types of viewers. Underrated in my opinion, clever premise, perhaps would've made a much better book, and the acting wasn't fantastic, but not terrible. It achieved a relative lot on a clearly very low budget, I'm guessing it breaks some low budget records.

Mind Bending Activity in a Room.

[cwjackson-70156 · 8/10 · 4 April 2019]

Four accomplished science professionals are summoned for a secret session in a room. They become entrapped inside this small space without a bathroom, obligated in calculating together a solution to save themselves and possibly, two parallel universes. Although, it feels like it, its better than a well-performed Twilight Zone episode. Writer-Director-Photographer Björn Engström involves the viewers, closely acquainting us with the characters, following their progress as the clock ticks away towards a cosmic disaster they must prevent. The playing fields are the mathematical configurations scribbling on notebooks. Engström fascinates and dramatize a modern science fiction tale exceptionally with favorable performances from unknown actors. The film is a little over an hour length, so I'll hold back giving away spoilers. There are a few words of strong profanity which may be uncomfortable for individuals to hear.

A worthy sci-fi adventure.

[russem31 · 10/10 · 22 November 2017]

I saw this film at the Glendale International Film Festival and it won the "Best of the Fest" award. And rightly so! Through it's one hour, it takes you on a quest of figuring out about parallel realities with a group of talented actors whom are stuck in one room for the whole time. Basically it was "12 Angry Men" but with a modern sci-fi twist. I was immersed the whole time and was satisfied with the ending. A definite must see!

A brillian movie for thinking people

[paperclip013 · 10/10 · 18 November 2023]

This movie is brilliant in its simplicity. It is a great example of how thinking can deliver thrills, humanity, entertainment, and a measure of educational value. If you enjoy considering ideas on a big scale, ideas that affect a human being deeply and personally on an individual scale, this movie is for you. Not many special effects but plenty of thrills, smarts, you know...thinking. What people used to do before the internet and AI popped on the scene and made humanity believe that thinking is a delegable function. If I could give this movie 100 stars, I would. From the intelligent script to the believable acting, this is movie making at its finest. For those who cannot grasp the concept at the start of the movie, simply hit pause and...think. We are all built to do it. Cheers!