The Ravine

.... in the end I didn't. A load of pretentious garbage and a waste of an hour and a half of my precious time on earth. I'm sure those who watch film as some kind of intellectual exercise might appreciate it but I watch films to be entertained, and this did not do that. Sat waiting for the big reveal, but there wasn't one.

I enjoyed the film - even though the subject matter is not pleasant. Great cast and performances, in my opinion. A film built on spirituality, grief, and redemption. It's a drama, not a whodunit murder mystery. If religious movies turn you off - this won't be your cup of tea.

First, the "thriller" shelving is all wrong. It's only labeled such as a marketing tactic. At no point is a protagonist in danger. There is some "mystery," but that's hardly the point of the movie. It's a spiritual drama.

Had it been shelved appropriately, I wouldn't have watched it tbh. But since I did, I must admit that I did desire to see the solution. It was a let-down. Even if I was interested in a spiritual drama, I wouldn't have been pleased. The film is almost entirely exposition and artlessly done. It's obvious and it all falls flat.

I gave it a chance because it was on sale on Prime for 99 cents and because I recognized. Teri Polo from earlier work and Eric Dane from Euphoria. As skilled as they are, they couldn't save this project from poor writing and cinematography. A dollars a dollar but that 2 hours (a full 2 hour) would be nice to have back.

Just like all the other warnings we get with any movie, like Violence, Drug Use, Smoking, Nudity, Language this one should have an 'Excessive Christianity' warning.

Great acting, good direction and cinematography. Too long, confusing plot with dead ends, too much time traveling (jumping back and forth in time).

What begins as serious murder mystery drama turns into a religious movie with visions and magic butterflies.

Not sure why I have to submit six hundred characters in this comment when other comments that are way short of six hundred characters. There, eezacktly six hundred characters.

... boy, are you in for a treat! The story is told in a series of stilted, unnatural monologues. It plays more like one of those made-for-TV, crime reenactment shows.

If you like learning midway in that you've rented a faith-based movie ... you'll be as happy as a born-again Christian at a church-basement potluck.

Added bonus: stock-music soundtrack that doesn't quite match the various years the story references. Really groovy.

I paid seven dollars to rent this movie based solely on the IMBD reviews. My guess is the reviews were generated at the church basement potluck right after the coffee cake was served.

I think this is where I'm supposed to forgive everyone involved in this pretentious, badly acted and annoyingly pontifical movie.

I do not forgive. I mean ... seven dollars is seven dollars.