Threshold

Impressive directorial debut by writer-director Perlman. I enjoyed the well-written female protagonist, in particular the insightful ways in which her character is crafted. Also impressive is the etherial aspect to the both the mystical qualities of the story and the VFX that visualize them. Worth a watch.

Powerful performances by the talented young cast, beautiful dream-like cinematography and creative plot twists lift this surprisingly poignant thriller far above its "horror" genre. This is a timely tale of love and loss and a personal search for answers in a world that seems to be spinning out of control. This one is well worth a watch - and a re-watch!

I watched Threshold twice. The director, crew and cast seem to have an intelligent vision and story in mind with this movie. That became apparent to me in my second viewing. I let go of my judgements arising from the challenges of the budget and decided to value what was accomplished within those limitations. By the end of the film, I wondered what the director's next project might be. I've seen many first feature films by writer directors where by film's end I believed that the artist will be quite successful in the future. Watch and see what you think.

The movie makes you think it's about a killer child, about the Christian Rapture, about love and betrayal and about a psychopath (and about other things I can't think of right now, but maybe you can). What this movie is really about, you will know only when the movie ends, and even then, you'll have doubts as to whether it was really about what you think it is or not. You might think this means the movie is in fact a mystery. Well, in a way it is, but it's a pretty confusing and frustrating one and the payoff is really not worth going through all that frustration and confusion. You might go from supernatural explanations for what is happening in the movie to a pretty mundane one or vice versa (I won't tell you which one, because I don't want to spoil the movie for you). The acting is good, the cinematography is fine, the music score is a dreamy sort and tries to make you feel some sort of emotion, although you won't know what sort of emotion you're supposed to feel (perhaps just calm?). During the movie, you'll be constantly asking yourself "What is really going on?", so if you can't stand vagueness and confusion or a rather vague and confusing ending, watching this movie will not be a good experience for you. I know it wasn't for me. I have seen vague and confusing movies before, movies such as Stay (2005), but unlike this movie, the payoff was worth tolerating all that confusion and vagueness. You might think my review is confusing. Well, a confusing movie requires a confusing review, but I assure you that my review is much less confusing than the actual movie, so if you found my review even a little vague or confusing and if that bored or frustrated you, please do not watch this movie, as the actual movie will be a pretty frustrating and boring experience for you.

Final score: 3

Threshold excels with its pacing and cinematography, presenting a visually captivating experience that belies its modest budget. The narrative flows seamlessly, maintaining a grip on the viewer's attention from start to finish. Each scene is crafted with a meticulous eye for detail, making the film look and feel like a million-dollar production. The clever use of lighting, angles, and color palettes elevates the storytelling, proving that creativity and technical skill can surpass financial constraints. The director did a hell of a lot with what he had to work with. A testament to what indie filmmaking can achieve, Threshold is a must-watch.