Loop Track

This one was a good time but didn't get all the way there for me. They did a great job with tension building and suspense without it being boring and the characters and acting were there for sure. It was lacking a bit in story... I know not everything needs to be spoon fed but I think there was a little too much left up in the air with this one.

Also the reveal was a little silly looking although not awful. It just generally felt a little undercooked, but the things that were successful here I thought they did a really nice job with. This is a slow burn for sure but I think overall worth it. 5.5 rounding down to a 5, would recommend.

I started this film with very few expectations. However I was absolutely hooked to it.

It's fairly subtle and you have to keep your attention to really get engrossed in the paranoia of the loner of the story, You can feel his dread throughout, his shyness, his not wanting to engage with others, who somehow seem oblivious to his needs.

Soon you are engrossed in the movement of the characters and his paranoia. What are these people's intentions? Who can you trust? Is our main character in his right mind - or is it everyone else who is out of sorts?

I really loved going along with this and got very invested quite quickly. It's pretty great, and takes a bit of a turn towards the end which was not expected.

Great film.

So I watched this movie on a recommendation from the reddit r/horror, when I asked for a list of good horror movies from the last 10 years or so. I asked for non mainstream, obscure movies that were well made. This was one of these movies.

I am not going to tell you anything about the movie, except it is about a man with very bad social anxiety going on a hike in the Kiwi forest. Most of these other reviews are literally giving you there own fan fiction, as they must all be award winning screen writers lol. Really don't want to say much more than this, due to I personally like to go in blind to a movie like this. I will say it is a slow burn, and takes until a good bit of the movie to get where it's going, so if you don't like these types of movies, then maybe don't bother. I am a horror fan and I thought it was pretty original, you'll know what I mean when you get to the end. Oh another thing, I read that it is a horror/comedy? Well imo there really isn't anything funny in it, unless it's a kiwi thing, idk. So don't expect any laughs.

This is a good low budget horror film that demonstrates one of my theories on the genre, that the most difficult thing is often the ending.

It's a 90 minute film, and for 70 minutes it builds tension on a typical New Zealand four or five day bush tramp, or trek. Middle aged city dweller, Ian, the protagonist, starts as a solo hiker, determined to remain so, inexperienced, unfit and with some shady immediate past that he is uncomfortable about. He seems to have undertaken the challenge to reset his mental state.

The other characters are just as well acted, hikers who are on the same route as him; Nicky, with all the gear, says he is very experienced but seems to talk the talk but makes basic errors, drinking river water as an example. Also, Austin and Danielle, a Namibian and an Australian on their honeymoon.

For anyone who has experienced the huts and trails of New Zealand, or who would be keen to, this is highly watchable, filmed with a wonderful backdrop of the native bush and capturing the nightly hit scene very well.

Thomas Sainsbury plays the part of Ian, as well as writing and directing. He does everything well, though that last twenty minutes.. I can imagine he toyed with a few different endings. I won't spoil of course, suffice to say I couldn't have possibly guessed the turn it would take.

Throughout the hike, Ian thinks someone is following them. He sees vague outlines in the trees, but the others convince him it is his own paranoia.

I didn't like the ending, but admire Sainsbury for being bold enough to carry it through. It's got to end somehow.. but the first 70 minutes was tremendous.

Something this movie finally made me realise is that New Zealanders have entirely unique senses of humour. I probably should've realised it years before now, but this was the film that made me click. Almost every joke in this movie is something you would never see come out of a movie made in a different country.

'Loop Track' is a great example of doing everything you can with a concept. Squeezing every last drop out of the stone, if you will. In theory, the film has no business being as interesting for 90 minutes as it was. But because of the way it was done I found myself enjoying myself for the full run time.

I really had no idea where this movie was headed for the majority of the run time. And where it did head, I didn't mind ultimately. It went down a path and it committed to it was the important thing. For what this was I thought 'Loop Track' was a great effort in film making and great example of making a low-budget work to your advantage. 7/10.