Fitful

There are so many ways people may fritter away excess time. Watching trash television. Trimming ones toenails. Checking up on old rivals on FaceBook. Ridding their refrigerators of green, fuzzy, slimy things. Smoothing out and folding used pieces of tissue paper. Organizing ones music collection alphabetically (or by genre and then alphabetically). Please believe me when I tell you that all of these things are preferable to wasting even a moment of your life watching this movie.

The storyline is non-existent. It isn't suspenseful – it is irritating. I spent most of the film waiting for a climax that never happened. The characters have no depth and no redeeming value. The wardrobe is dated and odd (I thought it was impossible to make Renee O'Connor look frumpy but it is apparently achievable). Overall the movie is aesthetically unappealing: poor camera work, halting timing, and terrible direction are at the core of the long list of problems.

Deadrise is a case study in what a narcissist who isn't the slightest bit creative or talented may churn out given the time, space and finances to do so. If pumping out garbage like this is what the Michigan film incentive is enabling, then I say do away with it quickly.

Enjoyed the film. Nice job to the production crew who put all the money on the screen.

Acting was well done.

Fun film to watch.

This is a Michigan Film which I always enjoy and the producer and director was able to utilize good Michigan background shots.

The story takes us in circles, which is always good as we try and figure our the mystery of the film.

I would recommend this film, even if you don't live in Michigan and want to enjoy the deja-vu. In summary, take a chance and spend time on this fun flix.

I greatly enjoyed the complexity of this film. This writer/director does such an amazing job with his films. Though they are not the huge, money intense flicks that most of us are accustomed to, they will leave you feeling exactly what Brauer intended, whether it be intrigued, satisfied, on the edge of your seat, or just plain happy. I believe it is much more difficult to create a great film when you do not have millions of dollars to aid in the creation, and for this I admire this movie. I love it when films make you believe you have figured them all out, and then toss a twist into the plot. If you are looking for a suspenseful, clever, and interesting film, look no further.

Clever and engaging; watch every moment carefully to get the most out of the piece. The details matter. It's fun trying to make sense of the neo-Gothic journey the heroine takes. She willingly enters a world that is visually impressive, spooky, surreal. I was disappointed in the original film's ending and a few of the plot points leading up to it. I didn't predict it for the simple reason that I could not believe so predictable a conclusion for an otherwise engrossing film. Then I saw the revamped version. The retooling pays off; Deadrise tells a stronger, albeit darker, story, and so it is a better movie than in its first incarnation. The acting, which is a bit campy or stagy at times, generally serves the film well and is even quite compelling in places. The characters fit the action, the cinematography is stunning, and a better set would be hard to find. In order to preserve the suspense, I am unwilling to say much more about the plot details, which a movie-goer can find in other reviews. Having come up myself with a more satisfying conclusion to the original film, I'm happy to report that I don't even remember now what it was. Deadrise ends in just the right key.

Although Rich Brauer can be considered a Michigan filmmaker, DEADRISE will appeal to anyone who likes mysteries, or those with a warped sense of humor. Paula goes through a series of odd events while she is trying to get some rest on-board an out-of-service transport ship, that she is inspecting for the Historic trust. Is Captain Vigs who he says he is? Is Paula really dreaming or is this reality? What is really going on here? These are the questions you'll ask yourself as you watch DEADRISE. Although some may compare this to INCEPTION or another Nolan directed film MOMENTO, it is an original, unique and strangely compelling movie experience. I don't recommend this movie for people who do not like eels or big, spooky ships.