I like the work of most of the actresses in this movie, but this movie is not very good. There could have been a kooky sci-fi flick in here, but the writing and pacing is just godawful. Pass on this one, I wish I had.
174 Reviews
Not as clever as it thinks
Sergiodave17 August 2021
A lot of potentials, but falls short
existenzzzzz11 October 2019
I love the concept and beautiful art direction, but the editing and scriptwriting are not very good esp. at the beginning of the film... Few bad castings, course takes (despite some high caliber talent), and bad chemistry between characters really pushed it towards the territory of unwatchable... The amazing set design and Bjork and Iris Van Herpen-inspired wardrobe kept the film interesting though. I personally put this film in the same category as Oblivion-a beautiful design. As a design 7/10, as a film 5/10. I really wanted this film to be amazing, but it was not...
30 Minute Short with 1 hour filler
jpenazareno5 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
My wife and I decided to watch the movie randomly, we haven't seen the trailer too, just decided to give this one a go. Thought it was gonna be somewhat good considering the cast but sadly it's a total waste of time. The first scene was ok, I was mildy intrigued coz the fashion and style was somewhat hunger games-type avant garde but when it came to the "two months earlier", the movie just went downhill from there, at first it though "ok, some flash back scenes" but noooo, the whole movie takes place on that "two months earlier" part.
The movie was only about an hour and a half but the scenes felt like it took forever to end. It's long and boring. You can just watch the first 15 mines then skip about 45 minutes or so and you won't even miss a thing. It's a 30 minute short with an hour of fillers, my wife gave up after 20 minutes and decided to sleep coz nothing was literally happening. I decided to stay just for the sake of finishing it
Also, the big reveal wasn't that much of a "big reveal", more like a meh. Also wtf is with Milla Jovovich's character? Her true "identity" doesn't freaking make sense! Imagine watching Harry Potter then suddenly an Avengers visits Hogwarts. It's like the writers and the director can't freaking decide what genre this movie will be in so they decided to include everything. Sci-fi, mystery, thriller, supernatural, slow-burner(too slow if you ask me), horror, drama, romance, steam punk. You name it, you could find it in the movie.
It could have been a great movie but the script and poor story telling killed it for me. Such a waste of talent and opportunity.
The movie was only about an hour and a half but the scenes felt like it took forever to end. It's long and boring. You can just watch the first 15 mines then skip about 45 minutes or so and you won't even miss a thing. It's a 30 minute short with an hour of fillers, my wife gave up after 20 minutes and decided to sleep coz nothing was literally happening. I decided to stay just for the sake of finishing it
Also, the big reveal wasn't that much of a "big reveal", more like a meh. Also wtf is with Milla Jovovich's character? Her true "identity" doesn't freaking make sense! Imagine watching Harry Potter then suddenly an Avengers visits Hogwarts. It's like the writers and the director can't freaking decide what genre this movie will be in so they decided to include everything. Sci-fi, mystery, thriller, supernatural, slow-burner(too slow if you ask me), horror, drama, romance, steam punk. You name it, you could find it in the movie.
It could have been a great movie but the script and poor story telling killed it for me. Such a waste of talent and opportunity.
Beautiful to look at, but the film is not so rosy
Gordon-1114 September 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This film tells the story of a bunch of girls who goes to a rehab facility that is not what it seems.
The good points about this film is the costumes and the beautiful sets. The flowers and the costumes are beautiful. However, the rest of the film is not as rosy as it seems. Mirrors are overused in the film, which slightly bothers me.
The story is pretty flat, and takes too long to pick up. Suspense is intended, but it is not well developed. Frankly it is rather confusing at first. The plot clears up a little in the last third of the film, but it is already too late to salvage my opinion of it. I think there are a lot of plot holes, which makes the plot hard to believe.
The good points about this film is the costumes and the beautiful sets. The flowers and the costumes are beautiful. However, the rest of the film is not as rosy as it seems. Mirrors are overused in the film, which slightly bothers me.
The story is pretty flat, and takes too long to pick up. Suspense is intended, but it is not well developed. Frankly it is rather confusing at first. The plot clears up a little in the last third of the film, but it is already too late to salvage my opinion of it. I think there are a lot of plot holes, which makes the plot hard to believe.
A visually appealing dystopic thriller with a flawed plot
zampino-26 February 2020
There's much to enjoy in this movie, which paints a colorful and fashionable future as a dystopia of wealth and lower classes through the eyes of four young women at the mercy of their families. The obvious appeal is visual, from couture costuming, makeup and hair styles, to interesting cinematography and visual effects; for Alice Waddington's first time as director she managed to tie those elements together in a way that maintains interest, and keeps the plot succinctly controlled. Solid performances from Awkwafina, Danielle Macdonald, Milla Jovovich, and Danielle Macdonald keep the audience engaged, and Emma Roberts is eccentrically interesting, though her character confuses.
I like the overall plot concept, which reminds of Stepford Wives with a sci fi twist that has a good level of plausibility. However, a secondary inexplicable "supernatural" layer mars what could have been the more believable story line, and the last 10 minutes either need a lot of additional information for the viewer or, in my opinion, should have been cut completely. While the end adds "excitement" to the finale, for this viewer, it was a futile attempt to add a blockbuster fantasy element that was completely unnecessary. That doesn't make the movie less interesting in the end, and the last moments of the film tie back to the start making a reasonably satisfying story arc. I would have enjoyed learning more about the class distinctions in this society, which would have been far more interesting than spending time on the baffling plot lines aforementioned.
Generally speaking, a movie worth watching; it's a pity the movie didn't have good US distribution; and I'll keep an eye out for Waddington's next.
I like the overall plot concept, which reminds of Stepford Wives with a sci fi twist that has a good level of plausibility. However, a secondary inexplicable "supernatural" layer mars what could have been the more believable story line, and the last 10 minutes either need a lot of additional information for the viewer or, in my opinion, should have been cut completely. While the end adds "excitement" to the finale, for this viewer, it was a futile attempt to add a blockbuster fantasy element that was completely unnecessary. That doesn't make the movie less interesting in the end, and the last moments of the film tie back to the start making a reasonably satisfying story arc. I would have enjoyed learning more about the class distinctions in this society, which would have been far more interesting than spending time on the baffling plot lines aforementioned.
Generally speaking, a movie worth watching; it's a pity the movie didn't have good US distribution; and I'll keep an eye out for Waddington's next.
Looks nice
aeongale11 September 2019
Oddly I just watched Level 16 last week and there are massive similarities between the two. Main juxtaposition being that this is set in a visually stunning fantasy world, while Level 16 is very bland and sterile. Problem with this film is that between the setup and getting anywhere there's a weak romance plot coupled with weak character development. I really couldn't care what happened in this film.
Great asthetics
zoe_renee2129 December 2019
A very pretty movie. Kept me watching just by the asthetics. The story was a bit all over the shop though and a bit rushed once they found out what was really going on. Would have liked to have seen more from Mila Jovavich character and know more about her because they didn't really give anything away. Wonder if they'll make a sequel
Poorly Written & Implemented Script
westsideschl8 March 2020
This script was just all over the place w/lots of borrowed from other movies ideas just tossed together in an incoherent messy mishmash.
1. We've got some ballroom scene w/singing on some island in the middle of the ocean (supposedly). Added nothing to the story.
2. Was presented that escape from this island in a small open rowboat in open ocean (no experience/strength in rowing) was possible.
3. You have a vast heavily populated odd group of overseers running the island. Done before in movies. Who paid for it all, who built, who feeds?
4. You have some very poorly & cheaply presented genetic/medical/surgical subplot of surrogate creation. Done before.
5. You have some unknown plant woman capturing some unknown essence of people. Done before. Gawd!
6. Usual romance hook. Poor acting. Jump around editing; lots of plot explanation holes.
Pretty to look at
jadediamond22 September 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This movie was very pretty to look at, but beneath it the plot was very simple. A young woman named Uma ( Emma Roberts) doesn't want to marry the guy who led to her Father's suicide so her fiance and mother send her to an island to correct her defiance and make her more obedient. She meets other young women too who families and associates send them there to mold them into their image. Arnama (Gonzales),a pop star,who wants to control her music. An obese woman named Chloe (McDonald) whose family want her to be skinner. An Asian woman named Yu (Awkwafina) who family want her to act proper or faces being disowned. She also has a cute love interest named Markus (Jeremy Irvine) who conveniently gets a job on the island. And of course Milla Jovovich as The Duchess is very beautiful. Yet it's pretty to look at but there's nothing there but feminist propaganda, LBGT agenda, toxic masculinity, and other SJW tropes. It's a simple movie about rich women feeling forced to be someone they're not, so their families send them there to be rehabilitated. Whether their families know it's a program to study their loved ones mannerisms so poor young woman can get plastic surgery to look exactly like them and replace them in their individual lives. And after the ladies are done been studied and having their identity stolen, The Duchess turns out to be an evil snake or succubus who eats them. Why I don't know since everything gets reveal in the last twenty minutes with no explanation. Markus turns out to be the bad guy and a part of the scheme because he's weak and a man. Arnama is hinted to have feelings for Uma and this is confirmed when Arnama kisses Uma goodbye on her final night on the island. Every man except Uma's dead father is bad in this movie. Markus did one redeeming good thing and that's it. The deaths of two of the children were dumb. If Uma and Chloe's process were complete and they were still alive, why not just wait until they were finish processing Yu? And Uma was so busy looking around and staring at a dead Arnama that she literally let Chloe die? The Duchess' death and reveal was so anticlimactic and ridiculous. Yet, the final scene was a nice reward after the confusing opening scene. I also like the nice twist on classicsm with their replacements. It wasn't a horrible movie but it was kinda all over the place and the third act could've been more interesting but it seemed rushed through. Wasn't a horrible movie but it could have been better. Overall, a pretty movie to look at about a not so far off dystopian world about affluent women being copied, killed off, and being replaced into their loved one's ideal version of them.
Pretty damn good
cfwc2 February 2019
I literally can't believe this movie was made on a 10 mil budget . If the director had a slightly more polished script, and perhaps the guidance of more experienced film makers / studio reps - this would be an amazing movie . As it stands , it's pretty damn good and impressive.
Visually - it's wonderful. The costume / set design is truly transportive. I feel like it's been a while since I've seen a fantasy movie like this and it was such a breathe of fresh air. Very original.
I can't wait to see what this director does in her future projects.
Visually - it's wonderful. The costume / set design is truly transportive. I feel like it's been a while since I've seen a fantasy movie like this and it was such a breathe of fresh air. Very original.
I can't wait to see what this director does in her future projects.
Good Enough
PennyReviews13 September 2019
Paradise Hills was a better fantasy that I was expecting. They handled the fantasy dystopian elements perfectly and the visuals were stanning. However, the story was predictable and that ruined most of the fun. Still, the performances were quite good.
Lame
doublespoon-3924930 September 2019
This is a kind of thing a teenager might enjoy watching because it definitely feels like the story was written by one. Or may be like some obscure comic book adaptation that looks ok on paper but is just too shallow for screen.
You'll enjoy it...until you start to realize the serious shortcomings in the script and characters.
planktonrules3 November 2019
Warning: Spoilers
"Paradise Hills" is a visually arresting film with a great basic plot...that, unfortunately, pretty much falls to pieces by the time the story ends. Sad...as the film initially hooked me and it had the potential for greatness.
Uma's family wants her to marry a man she hates. The marriage will save the bankrupt family...and they are essentially willing to sell Uma to save their fortunes. How do they arrange to have her agree to marry this man who she feels is responsible for her father's death? Well, it all begins with Uma awakening on a strange otherworldly island where lots of uncooperative rich girls have been sent ostensibly for reprogramming.
The notion of 'bad girls' being drugged or mind-altered to make them 'nice' really caught my attention and I loved the film....at least for a while. However, towards the end, the story became sloppy and insane. Insane? Yes, the island turns out to be run by some sort of weird creature. Huh?! Was this necessary? No...in fact it was pretty dumb and annoyed me to death. It's a shame, as up until this goofy ending, it was great....and PARTS of the ending were also great. But the monster bit....UGGH!!! It was as if you were watching "Gone With the Wind" and in the end Rhett Butler boarded a UFO and left planet Earth!!
In addition. the amazing sets and costumes, while initially arresting and amazing, simply DON'T make any sense once you learn the fates of the girls on the island. Imagine spending many many millions to make a cool looking island...only to kill them by the end of their stay. Why are these props even necessary?? I especially say this about the bizarro carousel horse...which you simply must see to believe. All style...but no substance.
Now these are NOT the only problems with the film. My daughter watched the movie with me and she really, really hated it. When she explained why, I was also pretty made. After all, the story is about four girls. The bisexual (or perhaps gay) character, the fat girl and the Asian girl were all killed by the end...and only the super-skinny white straight girl survived. What sort of message is this telling kids who see the film?! You'd think they would have avoided these cheap bits of formula...but they didn't.
Uma's family wants her to marry a man she hates. The marriage will save the bankrupt family...and they are essentially willing to sell Uma to save their fortunes. How do they arrange to have her agree to marry this man who she feels is responsible for her father's death? Well, it all begins with Uma awakening on a strange otherworldly island where lots of uncooperative rich girls have been sent ostensibly for reprogramming.
The notion of 'bad girls' being drugged or mind-altered to make them 'nice' really caught my attention and I loved the film....at least for a while. However, towards the end, the story became sloppy and insane. Insane? Yes, the island turns out to be run by some sort of weird creature. Huh?! Was this necessary? No...in fact it was pretty dumb and annoyed me to death. It's a shame, as up until this goofy ending, it was great....and PARTS of the ending were also great. But the monster bit....UGGH!!! It was as if you were watching "Gone With the Wind" and in the end Rhett Butler boarded a UFO and left planet Earth!!
In addition. the amazing sets and costumes, while initially arresting and amazing, simply DON'T make any sense once you learn the fates of the girls on the island. Imagine spending many many millions to make a cool looking island...only to kill them by the end of their stay. Why are these props even necessary?? I especially say this about the bizarro carousel horse...which you simply must see to believe. All style...but no substance.
Now these are NOT the only problems with the film. My daughter watched the movie with me and she really, really hated it. When she explained why, I was also pretty made. After all, the story is about four girls. The bisexual (or perhaps gay) character, the fat girl and the Asian girl were all killed by the end...and only the super-skinny white straight girl survived. What sort of message is this telling kids who see the film?! You'd think they would have avoided these cheap bits of formula...but they didn't.
No Explanation at All !!!
masterofallthingschicken20 October 2019
I thought the movie had some creepy moments and overall tries to build a feeling of mystery. But the ending was just terrible. We didn't see it coming and it made me angry. Wait for this one at Redbox, trust me. Save that movie theater money for something better.
Not Bad At All (Some Spoilers)
JohnnySlayer11 September 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I'm happy to say that Paradise Hills is a solid film, but it has some plot problems. My main issue is that the film didn't provide enough backstory for the main characters other than Uma. The Duchess really needed some backstory considering she has supernatural elements to her character. I wish they weren't cliche and kill the obvious people that get killed in horror movie. Yu and Chloe needed more screentime and the ending was so cliche. The set design was gorgeous considering that it was on a 10 million budget. The VFX need work, but understandable considering it's only on 10 mil. Overall it's a solid film. You'll be pleasently surprised.
Wasted Talent
Tweetienator13 September 2019
Nice and interesting looks/visuals meet slow plot and a too obvious/blunt metaphor to our modern society (or the critic of) - some of the twists are rather flat (the resolution) or the nature of the Dutchess (how does that make any sense) is out of place. The more you watch the inflation of movies one realizes that writing a good book or script is an art of its own that not many really master. That's in my opinion the weak spot of most movie productions in recent years - the script/story. Anyway, like said, Paradise Hills got nice visuals, a pro production and good acting but lacks heavily any quality regarding the story told. Also I must say (just an example), the rather "well build" girl did - despise the rigorose diet in Paradise Hills - not lose one pound of weight in the movie, but that's the difference a dedicated actor makes - sometimes you gotta do more than just talk and act to fit into or fill a role. To sum it up: mediocre, okay if you wanna some balm for your eyes. Paradise Hills reminds me a lot of The Dead Don't Die - both movies are rather a waste of talent and means and a missed opportunity to make something good and memorable.
fine premise loses ending
SnoopyStyle23 October 2020
In a future world, Uma (Emma Roberts) has been sent to Paradise Hills, a finishing school for the girls of society's elite families. Uma is refusing to give up her inferior boyfriend for an arranged marriage. It's an island retreat run by The Duchess (Milla Jovovich). The other girls include overweight Chloe (Danielle Macdonald), allergic Yu (Awkwafina), and singing star Amarna (Eiza González). Being imprisoned on an island gilded cage is not the end of the horror.
The general premise is fine but the intensity is never raised to a higher level. It reaches the first level of story telling and doesn't go further. There are two conflicting reveals at the end. One is a sci-fi ending and the other is a supernatural fantasy ending. They don't mix well together. This reminds me of an earlier 70's big idea sci-fi movie but it fails to grasp a big emotional payoff.
The general premise is fine but the intensity is never raised to a higher level. It reaches the first level of story telling and doesn't go further. There are two conflicting reveals at the end. One is a sci-fi ending and the other is a supernatural fantasy ending. They don't mix well together. This reminds me of an earlier 70's big idea sci-fi movie but it fails to grasp a big emotional payoff.
Bland, flat, recycled
tt-115-47331411 November 2019
It's a bland crossover of "The Island" and a Disney cartoon.
Costumes and decorations seemed tasteless and not visually appealing.
If you want to see what "stunning visuals" really are, go watch "The Fall".
Seems like the writer is afraid of plot twists and any bold and strong moves in general. Characters are flat and boring.
Smells like Teen-vana
kosmasp4 December 2019
There's no such thing as Teen-vana of course, I just made this up to come close to the song title or rather the group singing it. Now there is quite the interesting story hidden here. It does get a bit soften up to reach a wider audience. At least that's the feeling you get, including romance and other relationships. Though to its credit it is more powerful to that.
But even that can be seen as a cliche overall. Whatever your point of view is, there is a Brazil and other Science Fiction themed movies here. And there is violence to a degree, but it could be more explicit in its depiction. Still the acting is decent and the story alone really holds itself.
But even that can be seen as a cliche overall. Whatever your point of view is, there is a Brazil and other Science Fiction themed movies here. And there is violence to a degree, but it could be more explicit in its depiction. Still the acting is decent and the story alone really holds itself.
Really really disappointing.
s-denizot29 November 2019
It was good!
harryfilmic8 November 2019
Best dress or effect in Oscar ?
ks-6050031 October 2019
Nicely shot but pompous
namstonk15 September 2019
Very much like a perfume advert, crossed with a fairy tale, but wholly unoriginal nor well acted. As if a bunch of happy clappers have got together to say how bad men are and how amazing women are. The actors are normally on point but the director, well too much possibly. Dont fall for the high score, it's employees giving the ratings. The end is appalingly bad, like a scene from the Simpson's or Family Guy. Nod, nod
Could have been a decent film.
thesuthernman18 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
It could have been a decent futuristic thriller if only they hadn't included the very strange supernatural component towards the end. Everything was playing along nicely within the set of "rules" created by the writer(s),until the weird sci-fi part where Milla Jovovich's character sucks blood while the rose bushes help her out by wrapping around her victims to hold them down and strangle them. Weird.
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