Control

'Control' (not related to the game series of the same name) features Eileen (Sara Mitich), a twenty-something year old woman trapped in a small room and given odd tasks to complete in a short time limit. Each task becomes increasingly more difficult, and failure to complete a task results in her daughter Eve (Evie Loiselle) dying. Through unchained memories of her daughter and husband Roger (George Tchortov), Eileen must find a way out and save her family.

The premise of being unaware of why one is in a room to be tested/tortured is not a new trope, but the twist of psychokinetic powers does add a bit of originality to the film. Cinematography is very well done and plot makes a logical conclusion, but the fault lies in the characters themselves; through the beginning, they are not very convincing, though to her credit, Sara Mitich does pull off a solid performance by the conclusion. Several plot holes and a completely unexpalined antagonist muddle the narrative, but it is an rather interesting piece, given the budget.

Worth a once over.

The problem is that it doesn't do anything just fine. Everything in it's hit or miss and it clearly isn't batting 1.000.

The lead, good. Mystery, also good. The story, clever. The action, really good and the whole thing looks surprisingly good too.

The problem is Roger doesn't get enough to do, the story unfolds slower than it should especially given the style, there's too many flashbacks and the ending's underwhelming given the wait.

That said I think it's worth seeing cause even if it's not entirely original, it feels different and it does a lot well. The effort that went into it is clear and it shows.

I love slow burn movies, and non existent funding movies, when their done well.

Whilst this one was almost devoid of funding, it was also devoid of progress.

It took over an hour for anything beyond the most simplistic testing to happen, next to zero exposition in that time as well. Only to switch into warp speed for the last 20 minutes, but it also didn't go too far from the starting line.

Acting wasn't terrible, but many of the choices made by the 2 characters were ridiculous.

Eileen has psychokinesis, I can accept that without issue. SHE accepted it as evidenced in the testing... come to the test of putting a ball in a bucket....... nope we can't do that, BUT we'll remove 16 screws from the tables legs easily enough to no gain, and then move the ball in to the bucket.

Ditto when Roger is being killed in sand, no point trying to use her powers in stopping the flow of sand, or demolishing the cage he's in, go back to brute physical strength, of which she has none, and fail like a moron.

I would love it if just once in these movies the characters would use their psycho/telekinetic powers to rip out an entire wall of their cage and go on a rampage.

A very basic story of a woman with memory loss who wakes up in some sort of secret research facility and is forced to use telekinesis.

Obviously very low-budget, but nonetheless reasonably well-produced (it never feels super cheap) that takes place almost entirely in a single room, with just two main actors.

There is surely(?) no way that the title is coincidental with the 2021 Remedy video game "CONTROL" that has a similar premise (about a woman who has to use telekinesis to escape/liberate a facility). The protagonist here even looks a bit like the video game counterpart. Clearly wasn't officially licenced though, since the connection is not in the credits.

The acting is fine for the most part, although there are only three cast members (wife, husband, daughter). The special effects are serviceable and do what is required without being flashy.

It's a take it or leave it type of rating here; for most people there will be much better things to watch than this.

Sometimes these CUBE (2004) knockoffs really work, they engage your curiosity and suddenly you, the viewer find yourself going through the puzzle with the main characters. See also EXAM 2009, another under-rated entry in this genre, which is also a superior example. CONTROL 2022 is a hit and a miss. The torture for the first 60 minutes is just as effective on the audience as it is on the protagonist. Sara Mitch gives it her all, but even effort and good intentions cannot overcome a soggy script and a minimal budget. Not recommended. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))