Was drawn into seeing 'The KAOS Brief', with a cool poster/cover, a promising trailer, an intriguing premise and as someone with a general appreciation for horror. That it was low-budget, which from frequent personal experience is rarely a good sign due to that there are so many poor ones out there, made me though apprehensive.
It is sadly however yet another film seen recently, hence some reiteration because the exact same strengths and flaws are here present in those films, that to me was underwhelming considering its potential which it doesn't do anywhere near enough with. 'The KAOS Brief, with so many huge flaws and doesn't do enough with its potential, which was hardly small. There is not a lot to recommend in 'The KAOS Brief'.
Lets start with the positives.. The scenery is atmospheric and spooky, and is surprisingly well shot in places, although some parts nauseate too.
'The KAOS Brief' also starts off promisingly and gets to the point quicker than many other genre films made on a low-budget instead of focusing too long on one element, it does intrigue and it does have creepiness. The acting was surprisingly not too awful, not exceptional but there is some competence here.
Going on to the negatives, the story does feel over-stretched and some of it comes over as vague and under-explained in the last third where the film especially became duller, more predictable, more senseless and less unsettled and never gaining momentum. The characters generally are too sketchy and it is yet another film to have some frustrating decision-making.
Making the film feel bland and forgettable with not enough heart put into it. The effects are ropy at best, the sound quality is obvious and utilised cheaply (being too loud in the build ups and people's reactions) and too many situations are hokey.
Dialogue can be stilted and rambling, with many dry conversations that stagnate the pace and don't amount to much, while the pace and film drags on forever after such an intriguing start and doesn't recover. Even the ending however is botched, due to being so afterthought-like and with no sense of how to end it. Found too many of the supposedly shocking moments not surprising or scary and the supposedly creepy atmosphere dreary, due to the excessive obviousness, a lot of dumb and vague moments and explanations and the lack of tension and suspense.
A lot of 'The KAOS Brief' has underdeveloped plot elements and often nonsensical and confusing character motivations, while too many of the things to make you shocked are far from creative or unsettling.
There is not enough threat here and what there is of it tends to be used poorly, while the atmosphere is unimaginative, bland are more odd than scary, completely failing to show any sense of horror. Some badly sagging momentum too and a lot of weirdness and dreariness. The direction is leaden, got the sense their heart was not in it, and the music is ill-fitting.
Overall, lacklustre but could have been worse. 4/10 Bethany Cox
