Dave Made a Maze

I did not expect much from "Dave Made a Maze." It was obviously low budget with no known actors. But in spite of this, the creativity and humor won me over. The puppet scene alone was purely enjoyable and several times I literally laughed out loud. Lead actor Nick Thune was unfortunately the weak link, but the other actors did fine. But the movie overall was fun and unexpectedly inspired.

The best thing about this movie is the sets. They are insane! But the movie itself is not that good and is not really a horror movie, it's more of a comedy. The main problem with it was the characters talking like hipsters all the time. I actually used to hang out with a group of friends who would have loved this... and I can already bet they've seen it five times already. AT LEAST!

But not a 2 or 3 like other reviewers are saying. The set design alone is worth a 5. If you are hipster watch it, if not, you may not like it.

Couldn't resist the Warren/Buffy reference.

I loved this film. Right from the opening scene it's clear that the rule book has been jettisoned, and we're in for a trip down the rabbit hole. Dave made a maze. It's bigger than it looks. He warned his friends and girlfriend not to go in after him.

Honestly this is a brilliant piece of creativity. The deadpan comedy is spot on (especially from the documentary crew), and it's visually stunning. There's so many great ideas crammed into each scene, and I could hardly take my eyes off it due to simply not knowing what was coming next. It's surreal, but the lead keeps it somehow anchored in normality.

This is a bizarre little world that is a pleasure to experience. A charming film that I'll definitely watch again.

The gorgeous images deserve that you watch this film.

The dreadful dialogues might ruin the moment for you, however.

Now I'll just develop a bit, so you can skip if it's TLDR : I don't know if the same person conceived the visuals and wrote the text, but the former are wonderful while the latter is unbearable. The maze's sets, effects, even costumes are imaginative and fantastic. They keep the promises that made you curious about watching the film.

The dialogue, on the other hand, is written by a slacker. It's the kind of film where the line you hear the most is "Are you okay ?" surrounded by countless other platitudes and a distinct lack of real emotion. Drivel, simply put. Vapid, out of place, lazy, oafish, and much, much less. That's what makes the story. That's also what makes the viewing an ordeal. Thus I can't be sure about the actors : I have a bud of an opinion, but in their defense they had to work with trash.

Likely, you can't predict if you'll endure the talking, which way it will tip your balance. I'm feeling generous, thanks to the handcraft, and I think Jim Henson would have approved.

This isn't a horror film. But there are elements that make it seem like a Saw film if the Muppets directed one. Seems like a metaphor on the pointlessness of life and trying to find meaning with a bunch of geeks in a cardboard labyrinth, including a minotaur, looking how to find purpose. But very fun! Light fare with just an ounce of a larger meaning that the characters are able to enhance in their acting.