Dave Made a Maze

I had been looking forward to "Dave Made a Maze" since seeing its trailer. It looked like a quirky modern version of Cube and Labyrinth, two of my favorite films.

It starts off decently enough. The plot and the maze itself are intriguing. I also liked some of its quirkiness and humor. Unfortunately, the film gradually unravels.

The story, characters, and dialogue are underdeveloped. Despite only being 80 minutes long, by the third act I was patiently waiting for the film to end. For me, the climax and conclusion didn't come together in a compelling way.

It is unfortunate, with a bit more development it could have been something of a cult classic or hidden gem.

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.

This quirky film is amazingly creative but suffers from a lagging middle part and boring leads. Dave, who never finishes anything, has built a maze made out of cardboard in the middle of his apartment. But this maze is like The TARDIS - way bigger on the inside - and the truth is that Dave can't find his way out. Can't just rip it down, either, as it's a part of him now. His girlfriend and a host of friends and acquaintances enter the maze in an effort to retrieve Dave. Might have worked better if it was more fantastical, but it incorporates real-word consequences into the plot. Definitely imaginative, though.

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.

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.