ole solheim

1. Underexplored Setting (The Slave Farm): The film introduces the abandoned slave farm as a key location with symbolic potential, but it’s never explored in depth. Its relevance to the story is never explained, and it could have been any other location without impacting the plot. The opportunity to use it as a meaningful backdrop, possibly exploring themes of captivity or generational trauma, is missed. 2. Gaps in the Investigation: The search for the girls feels implausible at times. Despite the FBI knowing about the existence of the old farm with a cellar, it’s never prioritized or thoroughly searched until the very end. The delay in investigating such an obvious location creates plot holes and detracts from the film’s tension and realism. 3. Inconsistent Search Focus: When the investigators finally focus on the area, they search the woods rather than the slave farm itself, a puzzling narrative choice. This weakens the flow of the story and undermines the credibility of the investigative process, as they seem to waste time until they conveniently hear gunshots leading them to the correct location. 4. Unclear Villain Motives: The motivations of the antagonists, particularly “Casanova,” are never fully explained. The captors’ end goal—whether it’s power, control, or some deeper psychological fixation—remains vague. The power dynamic between the lower-ranked captor and Casanova is hinted at but never developed, leaving the viewer confused about their relationship and why they operate the way they do. 5. Weak Climax: When Casanova finally reveals himself, the moment feels anticlimactic. His face is revealed, but there’s little explanation of his deeper motives or any exploration of his psychological state. The brief comment about Naomi having experienced “bad things” adds some tension but lacks sufficient follow-through. He is killed off quickly without a meaningful confrontation, leaving the story without the sense of resolution or understanding that a thriller of this nature usually provides. 6. Confusing Power Dynamics: The power struggle between the villains is poorly defined. The lower-level captor’s desire to prove himself by capturing a girl and Casanova’s detached manipulation are touched upon but not explained. This leaves the audience confused about the structure of their operation and the reasons for their actions. Overall, Kiss the Girls misses several opportunities to explore its deeper psychological themes and tighten its plot. The villains’ motives, the investigation’s credibility, and the ultimate payoff all lack clarity and depth, leaving the film feeling incomplete.