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"Rumours" is a Guy Maddin film. So you need to know going in that it will be an absurd, surrealistic, over-the-top festival of craziness.

Maddin's first film came out in 1985. Since then, he has completed twelve feature films and dozens of shorts that are iconic among cinephiles. His work includes a short film starring Isabella Rossellini as a legless matriarch who sponsors a competition to discover which country produces the saddest music in the world. For another film, Maddin stipulated that during its theatrical release an eleven-piece orchestra, a Canadian castrato vocalist and a narrator doing voiceovers must all participate live at each screening. In a related development, the film was never offered in wide release.

In "Rumours," Maddin co-directs with long-time colleagues Evan and Galen Johnson. Evan Johnson wrote the script. The story centers on a meeting of the G7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan UK, US) to address an unspecified international emergency. The group soon begins to draft a position statement, in lieu of taking actual action. Even this tepid response is sabotaged by the personal agendas of the participants. The Canadian Prime Minister sleeps with the Chancellor of Germany, in part to compensate for the emotional indifference of the UK Prime Minister, a previous paramour. The French President feels the need to emote at every opportunity. The Italian President unctuously offers other G7 members a variety of sausages from the inner pockets of his coat. Eventually, these "leaders" find themselves mysteriously abandoned by the support staff. They stumble around on fog-shrouded terrain, encounter an all-seeing AI tasked with rooting out pedophiles and discover an unbodied brain the size of an SUV.

Several major actors have lent their star power to this endeavor. Of course Australian Cate Blanchett is the Chancellor of Germany. Charles Dance, a quintessential Brit (Tywin Lannister in "Game of Thrones," Lord Mountbatten in "The Crown"), portrays the US President without the inconvenience of eliminating his upper-class British accent. In a refreshing change of pace, the other G7 representatives are all veteran actors native to the countries they represent. Alicia Vikander has an incendiary cameo as an EU functionary/apocalyptic prophet whose predictions of doom are somewhat less effective because they are uttered in Swedish.

Professional critics apparently are contractually obligated to swoon because this is (kneel and genuflect here) Guy Maddin. Regular moviegoers are more likely to just pass out from boredom. While this film makes a fair point about the fecklessness of many of the leaders on the world stage, it's ultimately a one-note tune that becomes tiresome. "Rumours" elongates material would make an inspired, captivating short film. But here, it stretches its content and the moviegoers' patience past the breaking point.

I was really looking forward to watching Rumours since the premise seemed original and the trailer looked fun without giving away too much. I still enjoy zombie movies, even though there are countless examples in the genre, because with some talent and unique ideas, they can still be great.

In this film, the leaders of the seven wealthiest liberal democracies are having their annual G7 meeting in a gazebo, while something strange begins happening in the world, with zombie-like creatures appearing in the woods. The movie is a satire and heavily dialogue-driven, which I didn't mind, and the bits of humor sprinkled throughout felt like a fitting touch.

However, as the movie progresses, nothing significant really happens. The characters interact and speculate about what might be going on, but there's no real climax. It's mostly talking and walking through dark woods with little action. Occasionally, the zombies or "Bog People Dancers" as they are credited appear in the distance, but they don't pose any real threat.

I understand what the movie is trying to achieve, but it's simply not entertaining and definitely doesn't warrant a 104-minute runtime. The acting was fine, though the inconsistent accents were noticeable but not overly distracting, but still worth mentioning.

Overall, I was pretty disappointed. While there might be a small niche audience that enjoys Rumours, the majority likely won't find it engaging. [4,7/10]

Giving this an 6/10 rating

So bizarre is this film, six of us were in the screen when I watched it, and three walked out about 40 minutes into it, and too be fair, I can understand, this film is horror, comedy, satire and political drama, you get all of that, thanks to Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson and Guy Maddin. All three writing and directing this madness.

This is Guy Maddin, all over, so I expected it weird and arthouse, not making any real sense neither, well ,some kid of plot, which is there, thanks to the acting of Cate Blanchett, Charles Dance, and others with Alicia Vikander doing a some very odd work here. The cast had some real work to do in this, and with the most strangest dialogue and situations this year, it was not a total loss, not one to walk out on, if you knew what to expect, as I did.

Not in the worst film this year, that goes too 'The Crow', not sure if this is one that really will pull in much crowds, which is why it has such a limited showing. Had to travel a bit for this one and find good time as well, was not doing the 9pm slots that most cinemas are showing it.

Truly good satire needs a razor-sharp edge to succeed, but this latest effort from director Guy Maddin (in collaboration with filmmaking partners Evan and Galen Johnson) falls stunningly flat, resulting in a rambling, unfocused slog that somehow manages to mix messages and symbology that are simultaneously both cryptically understated and patently obvious. Set at a G7 summit in Germany, world leaders from the host country and their American, Canadian, British, French, Italian and Japanese counterparts (along with delegates from the European Union) hold their annual gathering to discuss the state of the world and pat themselves on the back for a self-congratulatory job well done (despite not possessing the requisite skills to accomplish anything meaningful or of substantive consequence other than keeping their nations' respective seats warm). They smile their hollow smiles and make empty though allegedly profound observations about a variety of subjects, all while attempting to craft one of their famous joint statements (position papers that the American president openly admits no one ever reads). In this case, the communique is meant to address some kind of undefined global crisis, but it appears to be one with apocalyptic overtones. But, in the course of their "work" - an undertaking for which they're far from qualified - they quickly find themselves in over their heads when the infrastructure around them begins to crumble, a circumstance made more ominous by the appearance of inexplicable apparitions and zombie-like bog creatures straight out of classic folklore and middle European fairy tales. One might think that this would make for an interesting premise in telling a surrealistically satirical fable about the state of contemporary world politics, but the execution here is so poorly carried off that it ends up amounting to little more than oh so much intellectual and symbolic masturbation (depicted here a little too literally and repetitive at that). To complicate matters, the narrative incorporates countless developments that go wholly unexplained, some of which presumably have to do with the symbolic emasculation of a prevailing patriarchal world in favor of an emerging female-directed paradigm, but others of which are just so enigmatically absurd that they defy description, explanation or purpose (there's more of that masturbation again, only this time reflected in the nature of the picture's screenplay elements). The overall result is a mess of a movie that, despite its gifted ensemble cast and atmospheric cinematography and production design, just doesn't work, especially since the insights it's trying to impart aren't particularly new, revelatory or funny. We're well aware of how inept many of the world's supposedly astute leaders are these days, including the fact that they're cluelessly engaged in little more than what amounts to unconscious acts of that aforementioned "self-love" (and self-aggrandizing ones at that), but do we really need a movie to remind us of that (especially one as shabbily made as this)? No thanks. If I were you, I'd duck out of this one and see what else is playing at the multiplex (or, better yet, skip it altogether).

I really didn't like this film. Fundamentally, almost nothing here worked for me. The satire can be summed up as 'politicians dumb', the photography is super weird and cheap looking, and the surrealist scenes are done without artistic reason. I have so much to say, and somehow this film has left me speechless.

Perhaps we can talk about some of the good? Cate Blanchett is okay in the lead role, but the material is so weak that it's hard to make heads or tails out of her actual performance. There are actually a couple good jokes sprinkled about its runtime. The jokes about trapping pedophiles and protestors attacking the leaders were pretty good, but only ephemeral glimmers of escape in the time warp that was this film. Perhaps another positive is that the characters in the group are all very distinctive, albeit mostly one dimensional.

On the whole, you can tell that this film is drawing from that Monty-Python-esque tradition of dry British satire, but there is so little endearing about the film. The characters are not particularly likeable, and the film makes no effort to make us want to root for the protagonists. The plot should be a straightforward zombie survival plot, but somehow we meander around with few goals or progress through the entire runtime. I'm sorry to say that the photography is awful. In day scenes, there is an ever present, odd cheesy glow. For the rest of the film, all shots are tight, despite being outdoors for virtually the whole film. It seems like just out of frame are the warehouse lights and HVAC system for the cheap and repetitive looking set. Nikki Amuka-Bird had a very poor showing in performance. Truly YouTube level acting.

Shockingly cheap film for a movie with real Hollywood actors in it.

Rumours is a surreal, unsettling film that explores the impact of misinformation and societal control filled with dark metaphors, reflects on how power and propaganda can manipulate society, leaving people disoriented and distrustful.

Rumours is a dark, witty political satire with a sharp edge, leaning more into social commentary than typical horror or zombie fare.

It's a twisted comedy that highlights the darker side of our reality -where the "zombies" are actually us, the mindless followers.

Unlike the predictable Hollywood comedy, Rumours delivers biting humor through simple clever dialogue and surreal moments.

Lines like: "You see his pen*s has been severed and hung around his neck.

Sounds like a man to me."

"- Germany caught up into Dramatics. We've seen this before."

"- who is the best swimmer?

Italy: i only can go backwards."

The Huge Brain: symbolizes control over collective knowledge.

The giant brain is a central metaphor representing the source of societal knowledge and collective consciousness. It symbolizes the institutions or entities that control information-potentially a government, media conglomerate, or collective societal mindset. The brain serves as both a keeper of "truth" and a gatekeeper that decides what information reaches the public, emphasizing the idea that whoever controls information holds significant power over people's beliefs and actions.

Where Celestine's connection with the brain leads to an ambiguous fate, symbolizes the dangers and consequences of challenging established systems. Celestine's unique ability to communicate with the brain represents an individual's search for truth in a world clouded by lies, Her fate implies that those who dare to confront the powerful structures behind misinformation or societal manipulation may face suppression or retaliation.

Zombie-like Figures act as eerie representations of the manipulated public,Theys represent society's suppressed or marginalized voices, mindlessly manipulated by higher powers. They are symbolic of how people can be controlled or made to act against their own interests through fear or manipulation.

Rumours can be difficult to watch due to its heavy-handed symbolism and disorienting scenes.

Ending raises important questions about if exposing the truth can truly liberate society or if it merely makes the individual more vulnerable to those in control and how society interprets information and who controls that narrative.

There will probably be people who claim they liked this and if you didn't, then you're not savvy enough to get it. If it's meant to be satire, it failed. There's a lot of things that occur that go unexplained. Random characters are introduced that add nothing to the story, just more confusion as to wtf is going on. I read reviews that said this movie was funny...I didn't even smile once. I support original ideas as I'm tired of sequels and prequels, but carnage like this is why people keep going back to what they know. I've only walked out on one movie before, this would've been number two if I didn't just need to waste time.

For someone who is a bit behind on Guy Maddin (and yes, that "someone" is me), Rumours is probably a bad place to begin. It also makes sense, as this is a lot more accessible than his prior catalog of silent films (a phrase I am comfortable using without the addition of "tribute" or "pastiche", because they're just that faithful to how silent cinema used to look), so I'm definitely not alone in starting here -- though I may have lost some cinephile cred in admitting this.

Regardless of how well you know your Maddin, this is certainly a movie with a lot of personality. It's hard to compare to any other film released this or any other year -- although I'm tempted to name one particular sequence "a better adaptation of Color Out of Space than the actual Color Out of Space movie".

Every location contains strange colors and magical mists; the music choices are bizarre to the point of idiosyncratic brilliance; the characters -- from the inexplicably British US president (Charles Dance) to the Swedish Secretary General (Alicia Vikander) who knows the forest's secrets -- are delightfully odd, but sometimes irritatingly unintelligible. (Cate Blanchett's performance, which has been described as an impression of Sandra Hüller doing an impression of Princess Diana, is particularly bemusing.)

It is also a pretty funny movie. For a while, at least. It loses some of its steam and satirical edge in the second half, seemingly getting bored of itself. Regardless, I am eager to check out more of this man's catalog and deeply ashamed that I have not.

Political commentary using the zombie apocalypse as its platform. The onanistic zombies was by itself a good reason to see Rumours if for no other reason than for the foul plume scene.

Interesting to see an effective spooky horror without blood or gore. When the humor isn't coming from the zombies it can be found in the behavior of the G7 leaders and their complete surrender to the power of debate. They literally got nothing done and were completely powerless to control there own fate when getting lost in their own overgrown unsightly huge backyard.

Rumours is a movie that almost teases the viewer with the promise of action but never delivers instead opting for a more surreal Alice in Wonderland like experience that can be easily identified simply by the lighting and character set up. The broken language, the big brain, the clueless kings and queens in the garden, etc.

I loved the ending, basic idealism from a bunch of out of touch pretentious leaders and the only one's listening was a small sum of meat beating mud zombies. This is nerd humour and I thought it was very funny and is considerably under-rated.

I for one quite enjoyed it. Did not understand it completely, honestly could not pick out all of the symbolism, allegory etc, but it was interesting and fun to try. There are no laugh out loud moments, but smirks aplenty as connections and parallels are suggested and at times blatantly stated.

The cast, the script, the dialogue were convincing and never overplayed, these were serious politicians acting like real people in a surreal situation. The choice of subdued lighting in red tones, and a off kilter soundtrack kept everything suitably unreal. Direction and editing could not be faulted.

Would/could a film like this be made in an authoritarian country? Undoubtedly not.

Its a fun film that can be taken seriously.

What a waste of two hours! Rumours promised a thrilling exploration of how whispers and misinformation can ruin lives, but instead, it delivered a disjointed mess that was as subtle as a sledgehammer.

The plot meandered aimlessly, never settling on a tone. Was it supposed to be a drama, a thriller, or a satire? Who knows? Not the writers, apparently. The dialogue felt like it was written by someone who discovered Twitter last week, full of cringe-worthy quips that tried (and failed) to sound profound.

The performances couldn't salvage this trainwreck. The lead actor, usually talented, seemed lost in a character that lacked depth or direction. The supporting cast was equally unremarkable, with every emotional moment undercut by bizarre pacing and awkward cinematography.

And don't get me started on the ending. Instead of delivering a satisfying conclusion, it felt like the filmmakers threw up their hands and said, "Let's just stop here." If you're looking for closure, good luck.

The only redeeming quality of Rumours is the soundtrack, but even that couldn't distract from the incoherent storytelling and uninspired visuals.

Save yourself the disappointment and skip this one. The only thing spreading about Rumours is regret.

Ridiculous. Pointless. Miscast.

Right off the bat... the American president has an English accent. The Canadian president is a player with silver hair who's very very sensitive. An embarrassment. I guess it was supposed to be a comedy? A horror movie? It did neither effectively. Fortunately, there was no one left in the theater by the time I screamed W. T f at the ending. A big brain would have come in handy for the people who green lit this. Stunning to see that there was cooperation from the G7 in making this.

The story is about the G7 leaders somehow meeting in a gazebo in the midlife of nowhere during an unexplained crisis. An archeological big brings out some, I guess mud zombies?

I was very excited for this. Trailer looked promising and the offbeat quirky vibe is right up my alley. Think new wave grindhouse with all sorts of weird elements. That is what I was led to believe I might witness.

What I paid for was no more than an AI horror camp comedy script that might have had the redo button clicked a few times while using Microsoft Copilot. Only thing that made me laugh out loud (I was the only attendee for the 4:40pm est screening) was the amount of dirty penises that abundant throughout this stinker.

Avoid if you value breathing oxygen to keep your cells nourished to sustain life.

In surreal, supposedly comedic, political satire "Rumours" the leaders of the G7 nations (inc Cate Blanchett, Charles Dance & Nikki Amuka-Bird) with EU President Alicia Vikander (speaking Swedish only) convene at a German castle in whose wooded grounds they get cut-off from the world that MAY have been hit by devastating catastrophe. Facing vigorously masturbating zombies and a huge gelatinous brain they try making it to safety (while drafting a joint statement). Who knows what co-directors Evan Johnson (who also wrote this garbage), his brother Galen, & Guy Maddin were thinking when spewing out this tosh, but the quicker it and they are forgotten, the better.

The friend I watched this with and I concur: this is the weirdest movie we've ever seen. And we each say that with approval.

Rumours is an absurdist movie that seems engineered to tantalize the viewer with the hope of solving its mysteries - Why are the bog bodies rising? What 'crisis' are the G7 leaders there to address?

Why, as another character asks, does the American president have that thick English accent? - while intentionally denying us the resolution of those questions. For some, this will be infuriating, and this movie is not for those people. The calculated onslaught of keeping us off-balance as viewers inflicts comedy through the awkward hilarity of how ridiculous this whole setup is. Rumours is a truly unique and original cinematic ride, and if you're in the right mindset for that, come and experience it. Just know that you're signing up for an extremely nontraditional film. (That's the point.)

What a disappointment. A totally pointless plot with no metaphorical meaning makes fun of characters without a goal and without a challenge.

The boring satire of a satire. Flat characters. No depth of storytelling. Pointless chatter without any drive.

Not a beat of subversiveness.

After that film one feels like you ate a big loaf of white bread and now you have to digest this big chunk of nothing.

I wonder if the giant brain they find in the forest is the brain of Cate Blanchett, who joined the cast of this painfully boring film, which is a sheer waste of time, which has nothing to say and where you can't learn or take anything away from.

I want my time and money back!

I must admit this is my first time with this director and, well, this is a weird movie. It's funny, dream-like, combining comedy, soap opera drama and a tad of horror/mystery. It's basically a show-case of acting skills and the great cast involved is so quite obvious since the script requires lot of passion for it and great acting skills.

In general I found it funny (some parts very funny) in the way it portrays the lows of these political leaders but let's evidence this, I think the movie is never gratuitously evil against them... I mean that the portray it offers is of the real people behind the curtain, in all their cowardice, ignorance and stupidity. But WE have to admit they're in a total CRAZY situation and every human being would be scared and confounded as hell. At the same time, this is a parody, but I have never found the movie "too" over the top. It reflects the ridiculousness of some political discourses and the bla bla bla... STILL taking in a little care for these characters so that we care , at least a little. The cinematography is also peculiar, quite soft I would say, with many scenes lighted in a total unreal dream-like way, creating the right fun mystery vibes. So, it's not one of the most original or interesting movies I have ever seen but I have to say I was entertained till the end in its absurdist way. Kudos to all the cast and troupe who made this movie real and support bold original ideas.

P.s.: the British-accent American president by Charles Dance was hilarious, my fav :)

It's like one of those dreams that as soon as you wake up from it you immediately think about writing it down somewhere.

Strange and mysterious and surrounded by an atmosphere of horror and loss... But this movie is written about reality, Oh my!

I loved it and it made me laugh seriously.

The corpses seemed more terrifying than horror movies. They really scared me!

The acting in my opinion is flawless.

Great work but it can't be said that it is complete. And this is somewhat attractive...

Finally, I watched something new.

The movie seemed poetic in many scenes and more like a play, and I love theater

Many lines I didn't understand anything from but the meanings could be inferred from the actors' expressions.

I watched the movie while I was sleepy. I hope this movie doesn't visit me in my sleep hahaha.

Canadian filmmaker Guy Madden has made some strange experimental movies that I have enjoyed. Working with his collaborators Galen and Evan Johnson, Madden provides a strange and satirical political that offers some really strange narrative and character choices, that is pretty funny and interesting.

While some of the humor and the themes feel a bit tedious as it seems Madden and his buddies are a bit messy with handling it's balance, undeniably, Madden always offers something that is really different and unique with the narrative, themes, and style. The camerawork and presentation is great and all of the performances are pretty good.

The dialogue is intentionally written strangely and due to it's non-serious tone, the characters are pretty engaging and found myself laughing on the themes of political circle-jerk and the insanity it offers.

Of course it's not Madden's best work but it's a good surrealist type movie.

Rumours, directed by Even Johnson, attempts to blend satire and dark comedy into a commentary on political emptiness and interpersonal dysfunction. Despite its ambitious premise and the involvement of acclaimed actors like Charles Dance and Cate Blanchett, the film falls short in delivering an engaging or meaningful experience. While it sets out to critique political triviality, the execution leaves much to be desired, making it a largely frustrating watch.

Premise and Intent

The film ostensibly aims to be a satire, skewering the shallow nature of modern political discourse and the absurdities of power dynamics. Its dark comedic tone hints at inspirations from films like Dr. Strangelove or The Death of Stalin, where humor and cynicism are used to unmask societal issues. However, while those films succeed in delivering biting wit and memorable moments, Rumours struggles to find its footing. Instead, it meanders through disjointed scenes that neither provoke thought nor entertain effectively.

Pacing and Plot Issues

A major issue with Rumours is its pacing-or lack thereof. The first 45 minutes crawl by with little to no significant developments. The film fails to establish stakes, create intrigue, or even deliver memorable dialogue, leaving the audience disengaged. For a film with such an ensemble cast, this lack of momentum feels like a missed opportunity. The satire seems buried under layers of uninspired exchanges and stagnant scenes.

Your notes echo this frustration: "Even 45 minutes into the movie, there was nothing going on." This lack of engagement is particularly egregious given the star power of Dance and Blanchett, both known for their ability to elevate even mediocre scripts. Unfortunately, the script of Rumours gives them little to work with, and the resulting performances feel wasted.

Characters and Dialogue: A Lack of Depth

Another significant flaw lies in the film's characters and dialogue. Satire often relies on sharp, incisive writing to lampoon its subjects, but here the dialogue lacks depth and wit. The characters feel like caricatures rather than fully fleshed-out individuals, making it difficult to invest in their relationships or motivations.

You succinctly summarize this disappointment: "I wanted more drama between the characters-they lacked a whole lot of depth." The interpersonal dynamics are underexplored, and the drama feels superficial at best. For a film that attempts to critique the emptiness of political rhetoric, it ironically mirrors that same hollowness in its storytelling.

Missed Opportunities

Given the talents of Charles Dance and Cate Blanchett, there were high expectations for Rumours. Dance, known for his commanding presence and nuanced performances, is relegated to a role that feels underwritten and uninspired. Similarly, Blanchett-a powerhouse capable of bringing complexity to any character-is given little to work with, and her performance comes across as flat. The failure to utilize these actors effectively compounds the film's issues, making it feel like a squandered opportunity.

Final Thoughts: A Disappointment

Ultimately, Rumours is a frustrating experience that falls short on multiple fronts. While the satire on political meaninglessness might have been an interesting concept, the execution lacks energy, depth, and coherence. The film drags through its runtime, offering little in the way of compelling storytelling or memorable moments.

Your reaction captures the sentiment perfectly: "Oh my God, how could this be made into a movie?" It's a valid question, as the film feels like a mishmash of half-baked ideas and missed opportunities, made all the more disappointing by the involvement of such talented actors. For anyone seeking engaging satire or dark comedy, Rumours is unlikely to satisfy.

The title of this film gave me a hint that the virtue of dry British humour might be extolled. British humour carries a strong element of satire aimed at the absurdity of everyday life. I don't recall laughing at all, but I guess the irony was at least interesting to watch the USA President desecrate the flag as a napkin and oh my did he have a British NON-USA accent?

I am personally VERY international and game for sharp satirical wit and making fun of our peculiar political climate, but during this presentation I kept waiting for something to actually give me a laugh. I assume the satire from the Canadian & British G7 representatives was worth a grin, and there was this obscured zombie hiding near a bush (yes an animated zombie from a dug out mud hole in the forrest) that, perhaps... maybe only in my imagination was enjoying itself.

Definitely no spoilers in this review, since I really DO NOT have any idea of what I was watching, and couldn't spoil any plot even if there was one. I honestly do have an appreciation of German and Canadian production but I guess my American culture has me at a disadvantage to thoroughly enjoy this film.

The early released trailers stated "Alicia Vikander Has Big Brain Problem" with a frame or two of her dancing around what I thought looked more like a big pumpkin. These trailers peaked my interest to actually spend some time to watch the film. Oddly enough the sly & fun to watch Vikander (reunited with Charles Dance from her 'Euphoria' (2019) production) didn't get stuck in cold water as the majority of her films have required, however kinda repeating the same sad ending from a recent production. Similarly to the film 'Burnt' (2015) with Bradly Cooper, she does an extended cameo in this film too, this time with Cate Blanchett AND only speaking in Swedish but somehow understanding English, which had me baffled, perhaps that may have been the writer's and Vikander's intent.

As I write this review, and thinking about making the film more interesting to watch, perhaps having a buzz on might make it funny, so if you have some free time and good munchies give this flick a go.

I'm a pretty generous movie rater. In many cases, I'll give a movie 5-stars as the equivalent as an "A" for effort. I once scored a Robin Hood variant with a 10, not because it was a *great* movie, and not because they didn't avoid some gross anachronisms (like WW2-style landing craft??), but because it offered some interesting and surprising twists in the mythology, the cast was decent, etc. It was just a fun movie.

RUMOURS Is nothing like that. I rate it with the rare 1-star because I resented wasting nearly 2 hours of my life on a stupid movie with a stupid script, a stupid and nearly indecipherable plot, and stupid special effects (such as they were)

None of the characters, who were supposedly G-7 world leaders, made sense. They said and did stupid things at stupid times.

The situation they found themselves in was in no way explained or rationalized. (No. That's not entirely fair. They movie did attempt to rationalize the plot in a vague and stupid way.)

Their resulting actions and motivations made no sense. The special effects were "Ed Wood-level" ridiculous, but as bad as this movie was, it didn't have the heart to even be an Ed Wood-level camp classic.

No, it was just bad. Bad to the bone, as it were.

This movie had some good actors -- Cate Blanchett, Alicia Vikander, and Charles Dance, for three -- that prompted me to give this film a chance, After all, how bad could it be with them in it?

OMG! What could have induced them to be in this film?

Did they need money? Did financing collapse at the last minute and leave them with a dreck-level budget? Did they buy into the concept and only when the contracts were signed and they arrived for the shoot, they found out that this was noting like the idea that was pitched to them? (I have to admit, the synopsis sounded mildly interesting.)

I'm a fan of science fiction and fantasy films, so I'm generally pretty tolerant of "hard tries", but RUMOURS is just plain *awful*! (And please note the emphasis of asterisks AND exclamation marks!)

Save yourselves!!!