Open Grave

I heard about this film because I've been a fan of Sharlto Copley since District 9. When I saw the trailer, I was extremely interested. I wanted to watch it to find out why the hell he was in a pit of dead bodies and why he didn't have any memory of how exactly he got in that situation. The plot has many little details that give you hints as to what is going on, but when I finally pieced them together, I was surprised. It keeps you guessing as to whats really going on throughout almost the entire film. I won't ruin the reveal, but I did NOT see it coming. It's a fairly interesting and original film, and I enjoyed the ride.

Film quality was average and the scenes set up well. The acting starts a bit rough and ends up a bit above mediocre. Story was somewhat original, but was not presented very well. There were many unnecessary plot points and interactions that made it a bit frustrating to watch, as they didn't provide any substantial information until the end. The plot points that were necessary were explain haphazardly and were convoluted. The setup and trailer makes this seem like a SAW movie, but its quite far from it.

It's a decent film, just don't go into it with any expectations. If you can help it, the least you know about it, the better as the trailer for example will give a bit too much away.

The movie begins excellent, the actors portray a group of people who have no knowledge of where they are and how they got there; including each other. Slowly each character develops thinking they are someone they are not, intensifying into conflict. As the story unfolds, relapses in memory begin to occur, and we begin to see the true intentions of each character unfold, or as we the audience are to see happen.

The actors do a great job, the main character Copley does a great performance as I myself enjoyed his other characters especially in the movie A-TEAM, and ELYSIUM.

OVERALL - great beginning, gets a little too repetitive in the middle, and the end just seems to rush it out without really giving the plot any resolve. Be your own judge! I personally believe this movie was intended to make you just as lost as the rest of the characters... right up to the end. So if thats your cake, then go eat it up.

Trust me on this one. The less you know about this movie the better.

I came across this movie knowing nothing more than the IMDb plot summary. Hence I did not know what to expect. And that is exactly the mindset "Open Grave" will work best for. It is hard to say something about this movie when every statement regarding the story, characters or structure could potentially reveal too much...

"Open Grave" is a smart movie. Its well thought out narrative structure invites you to constantly try to solve the puzzle. This suspense is maintained all the way until the last ~20mins of the movie. The story and heavy atmosphere are supported by the superb acting and skilled cinematography. It is almost impossible to not get immersed in the movie's microcosm. There are also a few good scares and action sequences to ease the pacing and give your brain time to relax.

...

Are you still reading? GO WATCH THE MOVIE! ;-)

I stumbled upon this film knowing absolutely nothing about it, and I think that's exactly the right way - perhaps the only way - to approach this bleak, suspenseful tale. So I won't spoil anything for you and concentrate instead on my impressions from the film. Firstly: great production values; set and sound design can compete with anything you normally see in big Hollywood productions. Secondly: fantastic actors, and if you're into dark, disturbing films, great story. I don't understand how a gem like this - which was obviously very well made - could fly under the radar and miss a wide theatrical release; a film of this caliber and with such a great cast should be seen in the theater. The current rather low IMDb rating bugs me and I think it will go up as soon as more people have seen the film. I'd highly recommend this film to anyone who likes a well told gritty story - I rate it a solid 7 out of 10.

Favorite films: http://www.IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/

Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/

Fun B-flicks/low budget films: http://www.imdb.com/list/YV1Lxq7WLkU/

Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/

In an ideal world, movies would be made without the aim for a certain rating. This article sums up why this is so important:

www.the-fanboy-perspective.com/the-importance-of-the-r-rating.html