jackarute

I don't believe this merits another mass apology via mail, but I would be curious to read the mass detailed explanation email. I guess I am just echoing the other similar sentiments about being roped in by a "slightly"(when the example sentence in a spelling bee for the word would be "Chernobyl was slightly affected by a slightly under maintained nuclear reactor.") overrated horror flick. When you've exhausted Netflixs' international catalog down to at least 2.5 stars, it raises hopes, or it certainly did mine. The most interesting moment for me came during the credits when it was revealed one of the actors only looked like a high school classmate (barring a name change, which would have been highly presumptuous by any of this movie's cast members).

There is little original in the story line. Picture Death Race or Gamer with the protagonist fighting to the death every week instead of racing a car or in a fps mock up with real people. Furthermore, if any of the social commentary on where our society is headed based on the viewer's ever growing appetite for realism and violence is meant to be novel, it barely registers with this viewer. However, adding Samuel Jackson as the puppet master for these spectacles certainly makes even a retread seem re-energized.   Kellan Lutz gives a solid enough performance as the sympathetic protagonist finding himself in the do or die scenario and Johnny Messner is a more than adequate secondary villain. Mixed with some eye candy and an arc (with a nice twist) that creates sufficient  anticipation as to how it's all going to end results in an above average viewing experience.

Those dumbfounded by the 3.6 dumbfound me. How they got an A-list supporting cast and director for this turd of a movie also dumbfounds me. One the reviews(maybe more) mentioned how it was just attempt to cash in on the whole Twilight/Lautner phenomena. That seems to be the best/only explanation that has any merit. It should be clear to anyone that Taylor Lautner cannot act. To put it nicely, you could say he has a very limited range, but within that range no dialogue is spoken. It's a couple of facial expressions and a pose. Putting Taylor aside, the movie is listless and meandering. I didn't ever get drawn into the story or develop any attachment to the characters, good or bad. So I will assign some blame to the screen writing. Really it would take much too long to write a professional critique, but I think to say this is not a good movie (even on a rainy day) will suffice. I suppose I will just be labeled as a hater, but I at least wanted to do my part in offsetting any inflation in the ranking due to some ass clown giving this movie a 10. That's not to say my rating is artificial. In my opinion this movie is awful, but normally I would not take the time to review a 1.