Kay Jay

I have not been scared of a horror movie in a long time. I actually need to turn some lights on so there's no dark rooms in my field of view... and it's the middle of the day. This is a film that doesn't use the typical horror movie tropes in the usual way. The audio is excellently applied to create, then elevate, suspense in place of crescendos for jump scares. There are unexpected visuals that are sincerely, deeply, creepy and unsettling without being over-the-top. The acting is quite fair, the dialogue natural enough, the colour palette is dreary and overall, the film has a dream-like, almost fairytale quality to it. Caveat established its horror elements through delicate subtlety, rather than trying to shock the viewer with extreme themes or effects. The atmosphere hearkens to the side story quests in the Silent Hill games and I think Edgar Allen Poe would adore this movie if he were around today.

A powerful concept with mix-matched performances that left me wanting more. Definitely worth a watch and the story will stick with me. *SPOILERS* What struck me was how the narrative was structured. The first act is with Eden enslaved on a plantation during the Civil war. What she, and other slaves, endure is disgusting and hard to watch. However, that was the reality back then. Then we suddenly switch to present time to meet Veronica. She could be a completely different character - unbeaten by white supremacy, she actively seeks to educate others and overcome racial disparities. The difference in energy and mindset between Eden and Veronica is powerful enough that I was left guessing how the two were linked. I assumed at first that Eden was Veronica's ancestor, and the constant references to butterflies would indicate that Eden's hardship in the past was directly link to Veronica's triumphs in the present. THEN we see Jenna Malone again, also in the present, and she seems to be the exact same person. So, I assumed that, perhaps, there was a sci-fi element. Maybe they send Veronica to the past as punishment for her activism? Maybe they inject her into a computer simulation? Regardless, my point is that I assumed that whatever Eden is experiencing, it couldn't possibly be in reality, at present time. It's too horrible, too accurate, to be occurring here and now. But it is. It's a reenactment in present time. They are actually subjecting real human beings to those horrors in modern day. Therein lies the message, I think. Although we like to think of slavery as being a horror of the past, it very much still stains modern day. That black activists still have to fight for equity in Western society is part of that, for sure, which is what Veronica's character represents by her work. But at the same time, white supremacists still exist that would readily dehumanize, torture and kill BIPOC. While too many white people, like myself, take comfort in assuming that slavery is over and done with, the affects of that reality are still felt today by black people. It is their reality and they are still fighting for justice, and equality. I think the film did an excellent job in executing the message and the story, but the other characters are a bit lacking. They could have easily pushed this movie to be a bit longer to allow for further character development. But the real value of the film is in it's story, and for that reason I would highly recommend it to anyone.

If you want a fast-paced, gory horror with jump scares, this is not it. It is an excellent psychological thriller, though. The visuals and music are beautiful. The premise is easy to digest, the story is consistent and there are no redundant "twists" or reveals at the end. It may not be a jaw-dropping horror but it is, in it's own way, perfect. Absolutely worth a watch, and I would watch it again.

Excellent acting, fair script and lovely cinematography. Everyone nails their respective characters. Great visual storytelling, using unnerving angles. Sound is on point for a thriller. I'm convinced that everyone rating this less than 3 stars and complaining of plot-holes didn't pay enough attention to the details in the movie. There are no "plot holes" - everything is explained by dialogue or through visual storytelling. SPOILERS AHEAD The pretense that the girlfriend survived a cult mass-suicide as a child may lead a viewer to believe that the she may be bringing some paranormal element into the story, but that turns out not to be the case at all. It becomes clear towards the end that the children, very upset with her presence in their life and blaming her for their mother's suicide, planned an elaborate hoax on Grace (the girlfriend). Their plan unravels when Grace discovers her dog has died in the cold and Mia realizes that they've overstepped in trying to chase Grace away. In trying to console Grace, Mia admits that they were just playing and asks Grace to come inside. By Grace's behavior (she doesn't come inside and is completely detached), we can see that she's suffered a psychological collapse. Aiden and Mia had already found video and audio from Grace's past, which they played on a radio to torment Grace - we even see a shot of the radio playing upstairs. They printed their own paper and buried materials by the house to make their story believable. Being just children, they did not plan carefully enough to ensure Grady's safety. They would also have no way of understanding how fragile Grace is. We also see Grace taking medication early in the film. She becomes irate when it goes missing, saying that she needs it. It's easy to assume that Grace is taking medication to manage the psychological trauma of her childhood. Without her medication, and terrorized by the children's warfare, Grace enters a psychotic episode. She becomes convinced that she must finish her father's work in order to escape purgatory. She forces the children to repent as well. The only arguable plot-hole is the absence of neighbors. The lodge seems to be in a very remote location, so the distance between neighbors could be written off as being dangerous. Mia is heard speaking to someone on the phone, which is likely her father - therefore, he would have no reason to worry and contact someone near the lodge, since Mia would be pretending that everything at the lodge is fine. I believe this is a very well done thriller. It's creepy, unnerving and tells the story without any gratuitous explanations or spoon-feeding. It's attractive to look at. The story separates itself from typical genre tropes by being a classic backfired children's revenge plot - except instead of being a drama or a comedy, it's a psycho-thriller. Well done, would totally watch again.

Is it a good movie? No. Is it the worst horror movie? No. The script is as lazy as the acting. Val Kilmer's character does not suit him at all, mostly due to the fact that he is incapable of speaking in a Ukrainian accent. The story itself is marginally entertaining but it's full potential is far from being reached. The cinematography is well done. Not superb by any means, but it is a decently attractive film and is shot with actual skill... unlike the rest of the movie. All in all, if you need a movie to gap out on while very ill with a fever or you're hung over, this is decent background noise. Not worth your full attention and not at all a popcorn movie.

Script, acting and direction were very bad. All in all it had some entertainment value but is not worth watching again. Wish I had spent that time watching a different movie.

I appreciate the concept, the story and the ideas that Besson brought forth but found the execution to be lacking. There are some major plot holes that bothered me immensely. I also found the scene work to be poor at times, especially during key scenes that could have had a more profound impact. It seems the neurological and scientific jargon of the script took precedence over framing and visual storytelling, which is very unfortunate - more creativity could have been applied to the shots in lieu of a budget for SFX. Johansson's performance wasn't stellar but considering the difficulty and depth of the character, she did a fair job. All in all, a good attempt and it was mildly entertaining. Personally, I disliked most of it by the end and would never give this a second watch.

As someone who is not familiar with Dan Gilroy but is an avid fan of horror, Velvet Buzzaw's inability to meet its full potential is disappointing. The first act feels like a nod to Wes Anderon's incredible knack for ironically humorous dialogue while the remainder of the film is a halfhearted attempt at provoking fear through (what was supposed to be) clever deaths. The confusion of the fast-paced interactions of the characters as they wildly navigate the world of art dealership is likely intentional. It's a good introduction to the climate the characters exist in; pretentious self-absorption barely disguised as a higher state of being. The segue way into the heart of the story - the deadly art - is lazy at best. The film clumsily stumbles from being a critique of the art community (pun intended) to being uninspired (pun still intended) in it's horror elements. The film could have focused predominately on the interpersonal relationships and the backstabbing that ensues after the discovery of a master artist postmortem. It could have remained a dark comedy/drama and it would have made more sense and been pleasantly digestible. Unfortunately, the bodies start dropping and those scenes feel like they belong elsewhere... in a different film, preferably. If just as much care and attention had gone into the death scenes as had gone into the character development, the film would have executed the story well and I wouldn't be here writing this review. Gyllenhaal's performance is worth watching the film at least once, but I would advise going in with low expectations for the rest of the film.

It's an interesting story that's told without too many gimmicks. Acting is alright and the line delivery in the finale is spot-on. As an avid horror/sci-fi fan, I could tell what the plot was as soon as they got into the bunker - though it was satisfying to have that affirmation, I can also see how beneficial it was to not be too creative to keep it all a secret until the end. This is a film that will take you on a ride without leaving you confused or unsatisfied once it's finished. Worth watching, albeit only once.

Absolutely one of the worst movies I have ever seen. The plot makes zero sense (and I LOVE abstract plots that leave a viewer wondering/thinking), the script is lazy and full of cliches, cinematography is reminiscent of someone's first short film from high school and lets not even talk about the SFX. I only watched it until the end because I could not believe it was so bad - my jaw was open the whole time, in shock. If you want to be left confused, unsatisfied, disappointed and offended by a production that's wasted your time, you should watch this.