Enter Nowhere

"Something isn't right about this cabin."

This was right up my alley: time-slip genealogical horror like something out of The Twilight Zone. It's gloomy, claustrophobic, and will get you thinking about your future choices and the choices of your ancestors in the past.

It randomly appeared on Netflix Japan and I'm glad I decided to give it a try.

Scott Eastwood (son of Clint), Katherine Waterston (daughter of Sam) and Sara Paxton (who, to my knowledge is NOT the daughter of Bill) star in Jack Heller's impressive "Enter Nowhere" which manages to be both the most predictable movie ever made and the least predictable movie ever made. It's also quite an enjoyable and fun ride.

Essentially a cross between "The Cabin in the Woods" (though much better than that overrated film) and a "Lost"-style puzzle box, I saw most of the twists coming from a mile away but I still really, really enjoyed this movie nonetheless even though Paxton sports an unflattering "Lady Mullet" through most of the film.

Also the opening credits are simple awesomeness.....

I like small but good films, ones done with imagination instead of just a CGI budget of millions. This one fits the bill. It's a cast of a dozen people, none of them actors I remember ever having seen before. It was done on location with a minimum of sets. Yet it has definitely taken advantage of the biggest advantage that a small movie like this can have and that's time for the writers to carefully craft a fine script.

I won't give away the progress basic story. Some of it they telegraphed by the vehicles and clothes, enough for me to organize the basic story. But it was fun and imaginative, a good blend of creepy and yet not too creepy. If special effects and buckets of blood aren't your thing then you will probably enjoy it.

When I entered this movie ,I was expecting a routine horror movie,with a serial killer ,or some monster ( gentle beasts such as vampires,wolves,werewolves ).But it is not ;it is a gripping fantasy and horror work ,with a firm screenplay-although the last sequences -which were not so necessary - are déjà Vu.

As for the rest,it is above average fantasy stuff:only four characters -the latter appearing late in the story-,and interest is sustained throughout ;little by little ,clues are given to the viewer,who will not be able to guess the ins and outs of the question until the writers reveal the whole truth.

The stand- out is Sam Wasterton's daughter ,who looks like the all-American-girl-of-long-ago actress ,the likes of Teresa Wright or Cathy O'Donnell;her old-fashioned clothes are a vital clue.But I will not spoil your pleasure any longer.

It is noteworthy that the screenwriters give their characters substance ;they are not in here to be killed (or get laid)every fifteen minutes à la "Final Destination" .

Enter !

I'm sure your able to read the overall premise of 3 strangers showing up at a cabin in the woods. Now for the fun part, figure this one out prior to the reveal. The clues come slowly and you'll eventually only have a minute to blurt out your discovery before it gets handed to you. But if you prefer, just sit back and enjoy.

I watched this movie by accident on the Chiller cable channel. Yeah, with the awful, LONG commercials every 10 or so minutes. With a lesser movie, those commercials would have driven me away from watching more than just a couple minutes. But I braved those commercials because I was really intrigued with the plot and the characters.

Funny that at least one other reviewer mentioned The Twilight Zone and Outer Limits, because that is EXACTLY what I thought while watching. There was no gore to speak of, and no frights in the conventional sense. It just drew me in and made me want to watch it until the end.

The one complaint I have that prevented me from rating this movie higher is all the gratuitous and rather tedious chase scenes through the woods. That was a whole LOT of filler, in my opinion. 15 minutes, at least, could easily have been trimmed from this movie and it would have made for a tighter, more interesting experience for the viewer. But then, maybe the result would not have been long enough for a "feature film." Still, I would recommend this movie for anyone who wants something fun, intriguing, and thought-provoking.