Category: 2020

I will start by stating that this movie had no actual direction and doesn’t even attempt to makes any sense what so ever. Let me explain:

There is no character development and not even an attempt to make the viewer have any emotional investment in what happens to the main characters. I had no care in the world for the survival of the main drive of the movie – the main character. If she had died the movie would have ended and there would have been no more cinematography – and maybe here, the real story would have started?

When I start a movie I am in most cases devoted to finishing it. I finished this one too, and regretted all the decisions made by the script writers immediately. I can enjoy cringe when it is subtle or well places. In a dramatic movie like this, all the jokes presented hit wrong and were completely insincere. I know it is based on some video games I have never played, and maybe it makes sense then; The movie does feel like a bunch of cutscenes, glued together by emptiness. Probably the worst kind of storytelling – the one that leaves out all the story.

Don’t get me wrong, the movie is extremely appealing visually and the cinematography is wonderful. As much as a beautiful movie tries to be interesting, the lack of any emotional investment or drive for the main character to succeed, creates an empty void that is impossible to fill. Milla Jovovich is Milla Jovovich taken straight out of Resident Evil – Amnesia and a swap from zombie to monster later. I enjoyed the movie from it’s visual merits – mainly because there was nothing else to truly enjoy.

3/10

With the intention of watching a thriller like this one, my fear was not to be frightened, but rather to be disappointed. This fear was quickly substituted by a genuine feeling of claustrophobia and anxiety, for a character I was actually invested in.

The movie is written and directed by Leigh Whannell, who previously has had a finger in the horror and thriller genre. He has written for the Saw franchise, as well as the Insidious franchise, which can be seen in his great storytelling. There are countless scenes where not a word is uttered – yet a story is told. The presence of invisibility is a force that brings wonder and fear to film. The lingering emptiness that is uncertain and unpredictable is used beautifully in every scene. Leigh knows how to tell a compelling story and shows off his skills and knowledge of the field from the title screen to the credits. Cinematically the movie is stunning with great wide shots, lingering pans and little to no flashy jump-cut sequences – which is a huge plus.

Elisabeth Moss is the star of the show, giving a great and fulfilling performance, throughout the film. Every time she is on the screen her emotions can be felt in the air, bringing me to the edge of my seat. The strength in which she composes herself and genuinely brings her character to life is nerve-wracking.

Where the movie loses me a little is in some of the plot holes, which are impossible not to notice. It does not lose its thrill or drive because of this, but as an attentive viewer, I feel that the actions of the characters on screen sometimes infuriate me. It’s a very entertaining movie that I will definitely recommend. It was though released at the worst possible timing, as this is a movie that I would have loved to have viewed on the big screen.

8/10

This is the first feature film this director has ever written and directed which is noticeable in many ways. The film tackles some sensitive subjects which I to a certain degree think it visualised in an interesting way; The scenes on their own are interesting but the film as a whole tends to drag and feels like an incoherent mess. It feels very uninspired at times and there is no real motive for the plot to have some sort of resolution or ending – it just happens with no intention.

Simon Pegg does – as always – a great job of bringing his character to life, but with the lack of direction through the story the scenes with him are the best ones of the film. He brings life and soul to the story and without his character-acting, the film would be nothing, unfortunately.

5/10

I will admit that this film isn’t as bad as Woody Woodpecker (2017) or Yogi Bear (2010), but it is along the same lines when it comes to story, quality and character development. All the characters seem cartoony and unrealistic, but maybe that was the slapstick vibe they were going for? The CG and special effects look great and for what it is the whole presentation is actually impressive. Cinematically the movie is beautiful and has nice camerawork and great scenery.

The most apparent thing is the fact that Sonic as a character and concept has existed for decades and this movie does nothing to make anything more interesting. It feels like they looked at all the facts they could find on Sonic The Hedgehog, and this movie is just a way to cash in on the brand. Every story element used takes something we already know from the franchise and explains its way out of it, instead of using it as an interesting plot element. Exposition scene after exposition scene explains everything, which would only be necessary if none of it makes any natural sense in the films setting.

Back to my question before; What vibe were they going for? Who is going to watch this movie? Children today don’t play Sonic games, I am 21 years old and I didn’t even play them when I was a kid. This movie is made for children and for some reason its main audience is adults. The film feels disconnected from its audience, and I feel that it could have been a really enjoyable movie if it dared to be a little more tongue and cheek. This is what movies like The Lego Movie (2014) are great examples of; Animated films that know they will be watched by millions of children around the world but dare to actually be interesting for adults as well.

5/10