Shangri-La: Near Extinction

This movie really feels like it was meant to be the pilot for some new series. It has this odd intro spiel that's more common for a series, then it ends in a wind-up as if it's getting ready to start episode 2. But of course there aren't any episodes to follow. I'm guessing this was supposed to be a new series and it never got picked up.

As a standalone movie it's not good. The acting is very forced and wooden. The dialog feels flat and scripted instead of flowing. The special effects are cringe worthy.

It's an interesting idea, but needs work.

Could have been a good movie, acting in some instances is terrible, others not so bad. The story line is unusual but poorly executed.

A recurring theme of my IMDB reviews is the script. I have seen great scripts lift up severely low budget film because it had a solid foundation.

Well I present to you my poster child for a lot of money spent on a movie in DESPERATE need of a script ... and scripting. This was dripping with opportunities. Real good cinematography. Even better effects for a not-so-low budget endeavor. Its possible the acting would be considered even better than that, if they hadn't been burdened with the worst script I have experienced in a long while.

In the barest of hope that the crew is reading this ... The script is the easiest and cheapest thing to improve since it only requires the writers/directors to be involved and spend the time to make something good. This is well before you start paying cast and crew members. This script was HORRIBLE. You couldn't delay starting this movie for a month (or more like 3, as bad as this script was) before starting to shoot? SHAME ON YOU! The cast and crew now suffer for your impatience, as they have to live with the low ratings this movie will receive, or worse, for the high ratings it could have received.

Shangri-La: Near Extinction presents an ambitious premise, following a group of soldiers on a desperate quest to find Shangri-La after the spread of a deadly plague and the rise of a man-made ice age designed to eradicate the disease, leaving humanity on the brink of extinction. While the concept offers rich potential, the execution sadly falls apart on nearly every front. The scenery, though occasionally memorable, stands as one of the film's few redeeming qualities, hinting at the depth the film could have achieved with more careful world-building. The film utterly fails to provide engaging protagonists & felt rushed at times.

I tried, I really did. I think maybe the folks saying it "could" have been good may be right. It's just that I couldn't figure out how. Definitely not the worst movie I've ever seen.