![]() ![]() All in all, this is still a bit of a B-movie, but its a bloody good one! Utterly preposterous at times, and with decision-making that would feel at home within the Trump presidency, it's an entertaining rollercoaster of a movie. This is definitely NOT a retelling of his story, but in reusing the novel's title it would seem at least 'polite' to include a "Based on an idea by H.G. There's a discussion of that here: since Wells died in 1946, his copyright will have expired on his works 70 years later. And that is that there was no credit whatsoever for the idea of H.G. There's one aspect of the movie that really irritated me. However, the initial question it poses - haunting, 'all in the mind' or something else - gets clarified a little too early for me (and - note - is spoiled by the trailer), so the movie falls short of being a classic for that reason. This is all helped along by a very effective soundtrack by British composer Benjamin Wallfisch, using strange atonal electronica to heighten the suspense. ![]() It's a rollicking action flick that had my attention throughout. With a post-credits "monkey" (there isn't one in this movie by the way) they could have lined up into the follow-up movie and started the ball rolling. If they'd started with this one, then they might have had a hit on their hands. But the Tom Cruise flop "The Mummy" unfortunately put paid to that. This movie was intended by Universal to be part of the "Dark Universe" series. ![]() Now most famous for "Mad Men" and "The Handmaids Tale" on TV, Elisabeth Moss has delivered a range of impressive film performances including in "High Rise" and - as most closely related to this role - in "Girl, Interrupted" as mental patient Lisa. And the denouement really delivered for me, reminiscent of Hitchcock's style. I did not see some of the "Surprises" coming, making them jolt-worthy. It's superbly effective and was comprehensively creeping me out! When the set action pieces do occur then they are satisfactorily exciting, albeit wildly implausible. Cinematographer Stefan Duscio keeps slowly panning away from Cecilia across the room to show empty corridors before slowly panning back again. When things start to happen, they happen so stealthily that I needed to hit the rewind button a couple of times (no cinema experience for this one I'm afraid). And in this Blumhouse production, after a clever attention-grabbing opening, he really takes his time in building an understanding of Cecilia's mental state. So he knows a thing or two about crafting horror movies. But as strange things start to happen, is the ghost of Griffin back to haunt her? Or is it really all in her rapidly disintegrating mind, as her sister Emily (Harriet Dyer) and James suspect? Australian writer/director Leigh Whannell is famous as the writer behind the "Saw" and "Insidious" franchises. Now living with old friend James Lanier (Aldis Hodge) and his teenage daughter Sydney (Storm Reid), Cecilia can finally start to relax. So she is much relieved, if a little surprised, at the report of his suicide. Escaping from his fortress-like home, she lives in fear of his retribution. Cecilia Kass (Elisabeth Moss) is trapped in a highly controlling and violent relationship with technology mogul Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |