Noise

As "Noise" (2023 release from Belgium; 90 min.) opens, we are introduced to Matthias and Liv, a young couple with a newborn son. They are moving into the house where Matthias gre up with his dad. His dad is now in a seniors center. Matthias is having a hard time coping with the baby waking him up every night. Then one day, Matthias finds out that his dad was the CEO of a nearby chemical plant, which now stands abandoned. Why? At this point we are 10 min. Into the movie.

Couple of comments: this is a full-ledged production from Flanders, Belgium (the Dutch-speaking side of Belgium). I hail from Flanders, Belgium myself, and when I saw this in the newly added titles of Netflix, I just had to watch it. Alas, this is not a great movie. For that, the story line is simply too thin and scattered. This is not a "mystery" or a "thriller" or even a "psychological drama". It's a hodge-podge of lots of genres but in the end can't decide what it really wants to be. The most interesting thing about the movie is the sound construction, piecing together all kinds of irritating noises, none more so than the baby cries, again and again, and again, but also things like the car wash sounds, a fruit blender, etc. We get the point: Matthias is overwhelmed by noises. The cast features Sallie Harmsen as Liv (she also starred in "Blade Runner 2049").

"Noise" started streaming on Netflix just this weekend. Unless you are from Flanders, Belgium and are simply curious as to what a Flemish movie can do, I don't know that I can recommend this film in good conscience to anyone. Of course don't take my word for it, so check it out and draw your own conclusion.

Super boring and pointless, as most reviewers noted. I can believe that some people liked the movie - different strokes and all that - but I cannot believe that all the 10-, 9- , and 8-star reviews posted around the same time are legit. I absolutely HATE it when people are enlisted to goose the ratings of terrible films. Why not just make a better film and not subject people to yours if it sucks? (sigh)

With 30 minutes remaining of "Noise," I realized there still wasn't a single point of action or suspense. The rude reactions of people in the village when the wife came around was interesting, but then the matter was just kinda dropped. And then, for some inexplicable reason, the wife got all angry at the shopkeeper - the only person who was at all welcoming.

There were a few "spooky" sight gags, but none of them figured into a larger story. I could give specifics, but don't want to risk people not reading my review due to spoilers and making the mistake of tuning into this turkey.

Oh, and that baby cried all the time. He'd drive me nuts, too. That baby sucked.

This movie was a stream of non-coherent thoughts thrown together in a movie. There's nothing to follow because there is nothing there.

I watched this movie and still have no idea what the hell went on because It didn't make ANY sense... and where is the brother? We see that he hanging on for dear life then... nothing. Does he make it? Does his sister find out what happened to him?

How in the world did this movie get green lit?

If you need some noise while you vacuum, give it a go. But don't bother sitting down to give your full attention to this mess of a movie. You will be disappointed at the loss of 90 minutes of your life that you will never get back.

I keep wondering about the rationale behind Netflix producing films with such weak screenplays. The little intrigue that the film offers quickly evaporates once the second act comes on, and the hallucinatory visions the protagonist (Ward Kerremans) keeps having, lack purpose. The protagonist's wife (Sallie Harmsen) takes the perspective of the audience, trying to make sense of it all - hers is the only performance that I took fair notice of, in this mess. The mystery (or the lack of) is so terribly sketched that I felt it had nothing to achieve, even though the protagonist keeps making such a big, nonsensical fuss. The makers also add a couple of pointless jumpscares. In the end, it just feels like you wholly wasted 90-odd minutes.

This movie could have been so many things.

It could have been what secrets the town holds for the son who has come back.

It could have been the secrets of the factory fire.

It could have been about the secrets of the father and his previous wife.

It could have been the slow descent of a marriage.

But no, the director/writer teased several ideas, and just tacked on a nonsensical ending that did not resolve any of the questions. This was a complete waste of time. Throw in the fact that the lead actor graduated from the Kneau Reeves/Kristen Stewart acting class, meaning he had the same constipated expression regardless of the scene or emotion he was supposed to have.