Walden

A stenographic vigilante is not a common theme and opens up vast number of avenues for the plot to grow. But the movie's first half was too distracted with introducing the manic nature of the central character rather than focusing on the plot's progress. Introducing irrelevant characters such as romantic partners wasn't making much effect or useful. Final twist was great but police showing their findings for the sake of neighborly acquaintance was one out of many illogical things in this story. However the visuals were haunting and performances were sincere. Walden is a story that's very much interesting when summed up.

It took me awhile to get into this movie but once I did I guess I kinda enjoyed it a little bit. Emile hirsch was great and really was what kept the whole movie watchable . It really had strong B movie vibes and some of the acting was mediocre at best however it was really fun watching the whole story play out and I really loved Emile hirsch like I said he was funny and good but the other actors weren't really that good even the judge wasn't that good but Emile hirsch was good if you're a Emile hirsch fan I would say watch it but if you aren't I'd say go ahead and skip it cause he's the only thing that kept it together.

"No one gives a damn. Why should you?"

Walden is directed by Mick Davis and stars Emile Hirsch, Shane West, Kelli Garner and Tania Raymonde.

When small town court stenographer Walden Dean discovers he has a terminal illness he decides to become a vigilante to punish the people who deserve it. Emile Hirsch gives one of his best performances here as what I could only explain as "Dexter if he was on the spectrum." Seriously he really sold this role. His performance might come across as grating to some but I thought it worked for this movie.

Overall this movie isn't great but for a DTV thriller this was engaging to watch and competently made. The ending also sets up a sequel which I would be down to see.

I'm only halfway through at the time of this review. I reserve the right to return and edit this review, if they let me. That said Walden is - so far - a phenomenal movie.

It's visually beautiful. I love the vintage mixed with 22nd century. The clothes and scenery is giving '60s retro mixed with thin-tablets.

Early on I can't decide if Walden, the protagonist, is creepy or just different.

He's a court stenographer, and one of the first shots is of him cleaning his tool (get your head outta the gutter). His stenograph. We get to see the pride he seems to have in it. And then we see him lying in bed, praying, wearing Louis Vuitton pajamas. Creepy? Or different?

Unlike other critics here, I did not feel this movie was slow-paced or boring or uneventful. I think some people just need lots of action, murder and thrills when they watch anything these days. In my opinion this movie is very good, but not great. I think the main issue lies with the main character. Anyone who has lived in the south for a considerable amount of time has known a guy like Walden. The seersucker suit, bow tie-wearing, seemingly asexual, forever single goober who's everyone's friend and shows up at ever social function to talk everyone's ear off is a staple character in every southern town. You always sense there's something dark underneath that person, but you hope to heaven that darkness never comes out. Hirsch really gets ahold of that stereotype and manages to put some additional layers in to make the guy not totally creepy, annoying, or unrelatable. The problem is that I never felt like I could get on his side. It might be because neither his backstory nor his medical revelation seems as effectively sympathetic as the writer may have hoped, or because his actions seem more motivated by selfish, psychopathic desires rather than to rid society of bad people. I think the ease with which he commits these acts right from the beginning makes his psychopathic nature eclipse any sense of his main motivation being justice. Whatever the case, Walden is definitely a complex character, just not a likable one.