David Bartolomi

I loved this movie. It knew exactly what it was. Fun, ridiculous, mocking and riveting. M Night didn't rely on scary thrills, he made you question and think. I believe he was mocking our current zeitgeist and the ridiculous power of pop culture ...... even to save lives. He's having fun like a black comedy. I read no reviews and knew nothing about the plot, which was the best way to see it. Josh Harnett owns the film. Every frame. So much so ..... that despite his monstrous behavior, in the last scene there I was rooting for him. You could call him, the thinking man's serial killer. I hope he's in more movies. He's under utilized in Hollywood.

I went with low expectations. There was no press. It played at a small art theater. There were 3 people in the audience, I am glad, because I got to experience an intelligent, deceptively banal, mini epic on a big screen that moved me deeply with no distractions. Every note in the film rung true. The power of cinema is that it can take you to places reality can't. I was transported back to 1830, to a part of New Zealand I knew nothing about. I relished the history lesson and the integrity brought to every detail of the film. By the end, I was saddened to my soul as I slowly realized no matter what continent or country or empire humans have occupied, we simply repeat the brutality of history. Seeing us so authentically monstrous on screen felt strangely comforting. We are a supremely consistent species.

I seldom leave feedback for Netflix shows, but the authenticity that the directors, producers and actors bring to this is refreshingly mind blowing. It's slow paced yet, highly intelligent, nuanced and demands your full attention. I actually watched the first 3 episodes twice which helped me to understand the language, plot, motivations and history/story much better. I love cinema that is dense, makes me work, doesn't spoon feed me and goes deeper that what is usually made for American audiences. The integrity, production quality and acting are all superior to what we usually get, plus the preservation of our earth and our humanity are crucial at this present time as we sit on the cusp of being able to reverse an exinction. This show posed existential challenges that haunted me. I hope the producers read these messages Please make a season 2.