J B

Very well written and well executed. This is what a horror movie should be - simple, shocking, and not overly cheesy. Crawl doesn't try dive into bizarre symbolism or mask some subliminal message the viewers are supposed to figure out. It merely tells a story of two people who find themselves in a not-so-unrealistic predicament and have to fight for their survival. Nothing about the way the story unfolded seemed forced. There were no stupid choices made by the characters that thrust them into danger. They were simply (very) unlucky. The writing was well thought out. All in all, a very satisfying film.

"Ma" is a well put together, classic horror thriller that uses the tried and true mold of the genre. Some will say it is cliche and generic, but it is also well written and well executed. The film doesn't force viewers to "figure out" its meaning. It is straightforward and to the point. It tells a story that is disturbing and eventually builds into a climactic ending scene that leaves no questions unanswered. I found the film satisfying in its simplicity and left the theater feeling entertained.

The only thing that surprises me more than how bad this movie was, are the number of positive reviews it is getting. I am a huge horror movie fan, and I've seen some really bad films in my day, but I think this one might take the cake. The plot was disjointed, confusing, and made absolutely no sense. There was no attempt to explain anything taking place. The red jumpsuits, the scissors, the human chain of serial killers extending into the ocean - it was like being handed a pop quiz for a class you haven't taken yet. At some point during this 2 hours of torture, everyone in the theater just began making jokes and laughing at how bad it was just to pass the time until the credits rolled. If you can't resist the urge to see how bad it is for yourself, at least wait for video. Don't waste a single dollar on this piece of garbage.